Family Chaos
by Sarrabr4
Summary: Matt Casey's fiancé left him to raise his twin girls on his own. Gabriella Ramirez comes back to Chicago with two twin boys and a fifteen month old baby girl after tragedy strikes her family. These two worlds collide and chaos ensues. Rated T because I'm not quite sure where I'll be taking this.
1. Matt

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my own imagination**

 **a/n: First of all, I'd like to thank JusticeRocks11 for giving me one of her story ideas in one of my crazy attempt to post a new one and coming up with nothing as a plot. You guys probably already know about her but those who don't, go check her stories out they are kick ass (pardon the expression).**

* * *

Matthew Casey is the father of five year old twin girls Grace Evelyn Casey and Emma Sophie Casey. Four and a half years ago, his then fiancé Hallie Thomas left him to raise these two beautiful girls by himself. Grace was a spitting image of Matt with sandy blonde hair and blue eyes but her smile was all Hallie. Emma on the other hand had dark chocolate hair and brown eye and when she would smile, crinkles would forn around them, just like her father. It was a crazy time in the Casey household. The girls had more energy than what Matt knew what to do with and summer was slowing winding down which meant that the girls would start kindergarten in september and he barely had anything done. Matt had managed to find a daycare for the days he was on shift at the firehouse and his sister Christie would help him out when ever he was stuck but it worked well.

"Come on girls, we're going to be late." He called after both who were still in their room, getting dressed. He had to be on shift and Christie would be taking them today since she wanted to bring them to the zoo with Violet.

"We're comming daddy. Come on Grace." Emma pulled her sister behind her in the stairs.

"Too soon." Grace yawned. She was the sleep in type whereas Emma was the early bird, sometimes preventing Matt from getting the extra sleep he needed. He managed to usher both girls in his truck and buckle them in before driving the short distance seperating his place from his sisters. As soon as Matt killed the engine, both girls unbuckled themselves and hopped out, running up the steps to Christie's door and knocked. Christie opened the door for the girls as Matt made it up there.

"We're here. Thanks for taking them today Chris."

"No problem. Who's ready to go see the animals?" That was enough to set both girls on fire and they started jumping up and down saying me, me, me, making both adults laugh. "I'll see you tomorrow after shift, I'll make you breakfast."

"I might just take you up on that." He kissed her cheek before he left.

He parked his truck behind Herrmann's car and walked up the driveway to the firehouse, going directly to the locker room to change into his work clothes. He went back to the common room for his daily coffee fix, something he tended to forget while making sure the twins had everything they needed for their days.

"How are the girls?" Chris asked from his spot at the take as Matt took his usual seat at the top of the table.

"Great, they're going to the zoo with Christie and Violet today and they are having a sleepover."

"Sounds like fun."

"So how's the hunt for school?" Severide clapped him on the shoulder, knowing Matt hadn't really looked into that yet.

"Not happening yet, got to get to that though."

"Yeah, these things go fast." Herrmann confirmed, having five kids of his own, including a few in school.

"I was thinking about checking the school that's not too far from here, might be easier to commute."

"Sounds like a plan." Kelly smiled his way. They were quickly called to a house fire once shift had started but it was just a cooktop fire so it was fast to take care of. On the way back, Matt made Cruz stop by the school so he could get some information about it. Once he hopped out, he made his way though the hallways in the direction of the main offices. He was greeted there by a middle aged woman.

"What can I do for you sir?"

"Well I have twin girls that are about to start kindergarten this year and I'm a bit lost, I was hoping you could help me." He smiled politely at the woman that smiled back at him. She pulled out a school envelope from the top drawer of her desk.

"Well we have an open house next week if you want to come visit with your daughters."

"That would be great, thank you." The woman smiled at him and he left, glad he had made this pit stop. He would have to look through the pamplets she had left him so he didn't go in there like a lost puppy. They drove back to the house and he went straight for his office. Once he was done with the incident report, he pulled the school papers he had gone to get and browsed though them.

"Cruz told me you stopped at the school for some information." Severide was leaning against his office door, smiling.

"Yeah. I'm so totally lost as to what I'm supposed to do but I'm just going to have to get used to doing this by myself." He shrugged.

"Are the girls asking for her at all?" Kelly's eyes held concern for his best friend and goddaughters.

"They know she left but they don't ask about her or for her, it makes it easier on me. That way I don't have to explain to them what I can't explain myself."

"Fair enough."

"I'm just scared that I'm not doing a good job with them." Casey sometimes did wonder if he was being a good parent to them.

"You're doing great lieutenant, you have great kids." Herrmann joined in on the conversation.

"Thanks Christopher, I really try my best with them."

"Your best is all you can give them." He smiled and left.

"Words of wisdom right there." He pointed to Herrmann as he smiled before he left, leaving Matt to look over the pamplets. It seemed like a great school with small classes so they could give the kids the best attention possible. The extra-curricular leaflet was also very interesting, hoping the girls would also like the inside of the school and the people in it. Matt wanted to provide them with the best he could even if it was a constant work in progress. He texted his sister to make sure that everything was going well with the girls and that they weren't causing too much trouble, something he knew they did from time to time. His phone dinged again with a message from Christie saying that they were well behaved and were having fun at the zoo, making Matt smile. It was hard but in the end, he was happy and so were his girls. He couldn't ask for anything more.

* * *

 **I really hope you guys enjoyed this first introductory chapter. It's shorter than my usual stories but I'm hoping it will give me the extra kick to update more often since shorter chapters are easier to write in a busy schedule.**

 **Please leave a review before you go so I know what you guys thought of this chapter and so it can give me an extra reason to update ;) Stay tuned for more**


	2. Gabriella

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination.**

 **I want to thank Justicerocks11 again for the original idea that stemmed from her brain and I hope she likes what I make of it. Thank you to everyone who reviewed/followed/favourited this story so far and a guest asked why Gabby changed her name well this second chapter will clear it up for anyone who was confused over it.**

* * *

Life had been extremely good to Gabrielle Dawson Ramirez in the past five years. On a vacation trip to the Dominican Republic with her family, she met Alberto Ramirez. They quickly fell in love and Gabby decided to follow her heart and stay there with him. Soon after, they got married and she became pregnant with twin boys Felippe and Luis Ramirez. She had never felt more blessed in her entire life and then, she became pregnant with a girl, Valentina Ramirez and her life was complete. When Valentina was five months old, that life came to a screeching halt. Alberto was diagnosed with lung cancer and Gabrielle stayed by his side for the next ten months before he passed away peacefully. Life had become survival for her after that, she lived only for her children, losing herself in the process. Every day, she would walk around town and everything would remind her of Alberto and her heart broke a little more each time. She had kept in touch on a regular basis with her brother who lived in Chicago with his wife Laura and kids Eva and Diego and finally she admitted to him that she couldn't do it anymore.

"If I don't get out of here, I'll suffocate." She cried in the phone, her brother Antonio on the other side, his heart breaking for his younger sister. **Why don't you come back here Gabby, live with us for a while until you get back on your feet.** "I can't uproot the kids like that Antonio." Any excuse was good to try to keep her there even though she knew staying would mean she'd slowly die of heart ache but ultimately, she had caved and made arrangements to fly back to Chicago in the next month. Once she set foot in O'Hare, Antonio was right there to welcome her home.

"How was the flight with the kids?" He took hold of their while they made their way to his car.

"Better than I thought. It's good to be home." She hugged him tightly, an invisible weight suddenly off her shoulders.

"Laura is waiting for us at home with diner, I hope you guys are hungry." The boys were starving and anything that was placed in front of them would be completely gone faster than anyone could comprehend.

"Thanks for taking me in Laura, I really apreciate it." Everybody was sitting at the table, kids eating their meals and staying quiet.

"It's not a problem Gabby, we're happy to do it."

"So did you come up with a plan?" Antonio askehis sister.

"Actually mom agreed to babysit the kids tomorrow while I go pass a recertification exam to get my nurse's licence to practice, then I'll go appartment hunting and check for a school for the boys and daycare for Valentina." Gabby had thought about this for the past week before coming back to Chicago and had asked her mother for a hand in making it happen. She hadn't practiced in a long time but every knowledge seemed to be intact and it was one of the steps towards giving a more normal life to her kids.

"That's good." Laura smiled at her. "A routine will help the four of you to get back to some kind of normal."

"I'm glad you're back, I missed you sis."

"I kind of missed you too." She smiled at Antonio, happy to be back home considering the circumstances for her return. The kids finished eating and the adults cleared the dishes while Diego showed the boys where they would stay and Eva took her little cousin in her arms to get her ready for bed, she would be sleeping in her room with her. Once the kids were in bed, the three adults stayed up for a few hours before Laura called it a night, leaving both Dawson siblings to talk in the kitchen.

"How ar you really feeling?" Antonio wanted to have the truth.

"I'm fine." She smiled, hoping to dupe her brother.

"Cut the crap Gabby, no one is in the room, you can talk to me."

"I'm keeping my head above water, making sure the kids get what they need." She leaned against the counter, putting her head in her hands.

"You don't have to do this alone, let us help you."

"I'm not trying to shut you out Antonio but the pain I have in my heart won't go away so easily." She pointed at the place where her heart was beating under her chest, a few stray tears falling down her cheeks. He quickly took her in his arms and she wrapped hers around him, holding on to dear life.

"I'm sorry." He whispered in her ear.

"I couldn't stay there, everything reminded me of him. It was too hard but I wanted that place to stay with me more than anything because the thought of losing my memories of him and our life together was killing me." SHe sobbed in his shirt. He pulled away and placed a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

"It never goes away, it's right there." He pointed to her chest. "In your heart."

"Thanks for everything Antonio, I don't know what I would do without you."

"The important things is to get you back on your own two feet. We'll do everything we can to help you." He took her in his arms again and she just nodded in his chest. They went to bed and Antonio kissed her forehead before retreating to his and Laura's room.

Gabby woke up late the next morning, her recertification appointment being only at 11. Laura had helped the kids to get dressed and fed before she got up, trying to take a little stress off her sister-in-law's shoulders.

"Good morning." She mumbled as she entered the kitchen, Laura handing her a cup of coffee.

"Mama you're awake." Filippe practically jumped on his mother.

"I am now." she smiled at his and ruffled his hair. "How'd you sleep?"

"Good." All three kids answered.

"Ok so Abuela will come pick you up in about thirty minutes and she is going to have fun with you guys until diner time, how does that sound?" The kids hadn't seen her mother in a whole year and time spent together would do all of them some good.

"You should eat something Gabby, you have a long day." Laura placed a plate in front of her but she pushed it away, taking a piece of bacon out of the plate placed in the center of the table.

"I'll eat after I'm done at the hospital, I'm way too nervous. I'll grab some breakfast on my way out of there I promise."

"What are you going to do at the hospital mommy?" Luis asked with his mouth full.

"First of all Luis Ramirez, you do not speak with your mouth full and second of all, mommy is going to go see if I can get my old job back."

"Job." Valentina smiled, repeating her mother's word. She had started talking more in the past few weeks and she kept repeating new words.

"What's your old job mom?" Filippe was more curious of the two boys.

"Taking care of kids like you." She tickled him, almost making him fall off his chair. "Mommy's job is a nurse, like Abuela used to be."

"ok." he nodded, satisfied with his mother's answer. She looked up from her spot when she saw the time, it was ten thirty and she wanted to be there early so she would look more professionnal.

"I want the three of you to behave at grandma's house today ok. She kissed all three kids on the head. "And keep an eye on your sister, she liked to go up and down the stairs."

"Bye mom." the two boys said at the same time.

"Bye." Valentina repeated. Gabby rushed out the door and came face to face with her mother.

"Mom, you're here. Sorry I have to run, I don't want to be late." She quickly hugged her mom.

"Break a leg." Esmeralda kissed her daughter on the cheek.

"Thanks." She smiled and ran to her car. For the next two hours, Gabby was in a conferance room at Lakeshore hospital, going through the written exam. Once that was done, they would make her do some practice proceedures on a dummy before putting her recertification through. The head nurse of the E.R. was evaluating her and once she was done, she left the room for a torturous thirty minutes to correct the written and give her the answer if she was good to return to work or not. When those thirty minutes were done, the head nurse came back and delivered her the good news. All she had to do now is pay for her licence to be renewed and she was good to start on the monday. She stopped at Laura's bakery and grabbedsome breakfast to go before going back in her car and driving around town to visit all the appartments she has deemed good for her and the kids, stopping her choice on a three bedroom apartment in a residential area. Once that was done, she drove around the neighbourhood to see if there were daycares with an available place for Valentina and as she had found one, she eyed the school from across the street. Luck seemed to be on her side because she could start bringing Valentina to daycare the next day to try it out and then she walked across the street from there to go get some information about the school. She walked through the halls and found the main office where a middle aged woman was sitting at a desk.

"Excuse me?" Gabby knocked on the doorframe.

"Come in dear, how can I help you?"

"Well I just moved back here last night and I have twin boys that are due to start kindergarten in the fall and I was looking to get some information about the school?" the woman looked through her first drawer and pulled out a complete package.

"We have an open house next week, all the information is in there. You can come see for yourself what this school has to offer and if it is suited for you and your sons." Gabby took what she was given and smiled at the woman.

"Thank you so much ma'am, I'll will see you next week." Gabby drove back to her brother's place to find a quiet house since they were either at work or at school. She let herself fall on the bed from exhaustion. She would meet her kids at her mother's for diner but for now, she would take a short nap, pleased to have found everything she was looking for today. She had a new job at Lakeshore Hospital, a new place AND she had managed to find a daycare and a possible school for the boys. The new place would need some new furniture but that could wait until morning, her exhausted body not so much. She fell asleep as her head hit the pillow.

* * *

 **a/n: Gabby went through a lot in the past year and coming back to Chicago means coming back home to start a real healing process.**

 **Ok so this chapter is a little longer than the first one but since Gabby's situation if a lot different from Matt's, there had to be more detail in it. I really hope you liked this second effort and that you'll take a few minutes to leave a review, they are always apreciated**


	3. Some kind of normal

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except for my imagination**

 **I really want to thank everyone who's been leaving reviews. I also want to thank everyone who's favourited and followed the story, it means a lot too. This story has been getting a lot of attention and I really apreciate it.**

 **I just want to adress something real quick. A guest left a review saying that I misspelled a word. I just want to say that I'm not offended at all but I just want to clarify something. My first language is french but I'm also fluent in english (since I was 3 and I'm 31). I work on my ipad with two different keyboards (one in english and one in french) and my correction system gets confused so unless I make a MASSIVE error in grammar or wrong sentencing, I would just appreciate if the reviews were used to help make the STORY better and not so much about small typos that might slip in there but if I do make a HUGE mistake, you guys can call me out on it so I can write better. Thanks, Sarra :)**

* * *

Gabby had spent the previous evening at her moms with the kids, just having fun. They returned at Antonio's around eight, all three kids completely dead tired in their seats. She took Valentina in her arms, and took her to Eva's room where the teen was studying for an exam. She rolled on her side and Gabby kissed her forehead before putting her blanket across her frame and leaving Eva to some quiet time to study. When she came back down, Antonio was already carrying a tired Filippe and Laura had Luis in her arms bringing them to the spare bedroom where a blow-up matress was set up. She tucked them in and went back down to grab a coffee before bed.

"Looks like mom and dad tired them out." Laura laughed.

"They hadn't seen them in a long time, they were going absolutely crazy in there." She chuckled.

"So how was your day? Get anything you wanted?" Antonio knew that she had a long list of things to do today and hoped she had at least gotten one of the things on it.

"Actually, today was pretty great." She smiled at her older brother. "I passed my recertification and I start on Monday at Lakeshore." She smiled proudly. Things would be getting back to some kind of normal.

"What about an appartment and daycare and school? How'd that go?"

"I found a three bedroom appartment close to the hospital and close to there there's a daycare that will take Valentina before the end of this week, so she can get used to other kids and there's an open house at the school that is convieniently in front of the daycare this week, I went to get all the information, I still haven't checked it out though."

"Wow, very productive day." Laura was surprised that things had fallen into place so easily for her sister-in-law.

"Yeah, I'm surprised that it went so well actually. Tomorrow I'm going to go furniture shopping so we can move in there as soon as possible so we can get out of your way." She took a drink from her still steaming cup.

"We're happy to have you here Gabby, I don't want you to feel rushed about leaving here. We have more than enough place."

"I know but I feel that if we're in our own things, we might be able to start getting back to normal. They've had so much change in their lives, it has to stop."

"Do you want some help with shopping?" Laura loved shopping and was hoping for an opportunity to hang out more with Gabby, something she had done too little of in the past.

"I would love the company, thanks." She smiled at her and finished her coffee. "I think I'm going to go read these before it get's late." She took the school folder that contained pamphlets about what it had to offer. She said her good night's and retreated to the spare room where the boys were sleeping. She laid down on top of the covers and went through all the information before she fell asleep, papers all around her. She woke up the next morning to the kids clothed and fed again, Laura handing her a cup of coffee like she had done the previous morning.

"You are making me feel like an unfit mother." Gabby laughed, bringing the cup to her lips.

"You've gone through a lot, it's ok. I'm glad to help. So what's the plan?"

"Well we get going right after I change into some more decent clothes and the plan is to find everything I need under 5000$. Do you know any good stores that can help me stay on budget?"

"Yeah, there's a perfect store for that. Most of their stuff is new but sometimes some have small dents and they sell them for way cheaper."

"Sounds perfect." BOth girls smiled at each other before Gabby excused herself to get changed. Once the kids were buckled in, they headed for downtown and Gabby followed Laura's instructions to the store. Gabby quickly found what she needed. She baught a metal framed bed for her room, queen sized with a eight drawer desk and two side tables. It wasn't anything fancy and she didn't need it to be. For Filippe and Luis, she found two identical beds made of wood with a headboard that you could put books and such in it with a tall dresser and a side table that would be put between both beds. For Valentina, she found a white iron princess bed that she'd be able to grow into. She was still small but put next to the wall with a baby protection gate on the side, she'd be safe. She got her a four drawr dresser with a night light that she had picked out herself. For the kitchen, she decided to put a little bit more money in the appliances so she got a double door fridge with the freezer at the bottom and a good stove because she loved cooking. The last thing on her list was a couch and a tv but those were easy to choose. The couch was L shaped and the tv a 32 inch, they wouldn't be home often enough to need bigger. She was surprised when it came 700$ under her budget and that she had managed to find everything at the same store.

"So when do you need these delivered?" The store clerk asked Gabby.

"Saturday would be perfect." He took all her information for the delivery and she paid the bill before they all went for lunch together and then shopping for a few pieces of clothing the kids needed. Gabby spent another big day today, trying to return to some kind of normal. She decided to wait another day before telling the boys about going to school.

* * *

The rest of shift had been quite slow which gave us the opportunity to have a really good night's sleep, which was a rare thing in their field. Once first watch arrived, Casey quickly gathered his things and was out the door to go pick up the girls at Christie's. As soon as he rang the doorbell, Matt could hear the girls run as if they weighed a ton each and when Christie opened the door, they almost flew up to him for a hug.

"I've missed you too." I chuckled, kissing them on the head before putting them back down on the ground. "Have you been nice to aunt Christie?"

"Yes daddy." Grace and Emma said simultaniously, smiling.

"Good, now who's up for breakfast?" He asked as he made his way to Christie for a hug before hugging his niece Violet.

"Me, me." The girls giggled, jumping up and down.

"They've missed you a lot." Christie wrapped her arm around her brother's waist and he nodded.

"I just wish they could miss her too, they barely see her." He said referring to Hallie.

"You're going a great job Matt, they're great girls." She kissed his cheek. "Don't doubt yourself."

"I don't have time for doubts." He rubber his shoulder against hers. "Come on girls let's go, say bye to aunt Christie and Violet and say thank you.

"Thank you aunt Christie." They each hugged one of her legs and she wrapper her arm around them.

"It's been my pleasure, I love having you here." She winked at her brother. They finally had a good relationship together after being years without talking and he'd be forever grateful for all the help she was giving him with the girls. Matt drove to that new breakfast restaurant that had opened a few weeks ago and that girls loved so much next to his place. Once he safely ushered them both inside, they were shown to a booth next to the window. Grace immediately started chatting about the zoo outing and Emma nodded to everything. Grace always was the more vocal of the two, even when they were babies. Matt smiled at her enthusiasm and soon, the waitress came to take their order. Grace kept talking in between bite, telling Matt more about the evening with Christie and Violet while Emma was too busy eating up a storm. It always amazed him such a little body could be able to take so much food in it but she did it at every meal.

"Looks like it was loads of fun."

"Uh huh." Emma mumbled between two bites.

"How would you guys like to come with me to 51 for next shift?"

"YAY!" They said a little bit too loudly for his taste but visiting 51 wasn't a common occurrence so he was pleased that they were happy.

"And this Friday, we are going to go visit a school close to 51, how does that sound?" Matt had talked to them a lot about going to kindergarten in September so they wouldn't be caught by surprise when that big change would come for all of them.

"Does that mean we get to make new friends?" Grace asked.

"Yes Gracie, and you'll get to learn tons of new things too."

"Does that mean we get to see you less?" Emma wondered.

"A little bit." That perfect pout broke his daddy heart into pieces. "But you'll have so much fun you won't even miss me. I'll be there to bring you there every morning and pick you back up after school except when I'm on shift, aunt Christie will pick you up and take care of you." Matt could see the clogs turning in her head, she was pondering what he had just said.

"Ok." She simply said. Emma was very grown up when it came to these things. She knew Matt did all he could to be there with them as much as possible but being a single parent wasn't an easy job and she understood that too. Once they were done eating, Matt took them to the park to tire them out a little bit so the three of them could take a short nap in the afternoon, giving him am opportunity to do the same so he could keep up with them in the evening and the following day.

* * *

 **a/n: Ok so I'm a little bad for not getting them both in one same place in this chapter. I just felt it was important to show them both a little bit more as single parents before I let the chaos begin. I really hope you liked this chapter and that you'll take a few minutes to leave a review, I really want to know if you like this story so far or not :))**


	4. Colliding

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except my imagination. The ORIGINAL idea comes from Justicerocks11

 **a/n:** I want to thank everyone that has so far reviewed/followed/favourited this story because it's been getting such a great reception (I don't think either one of my other stories had gotten so much) So I'm really glad you're enjoying and I won't keep you waiting much longer to have Matt and Gabby meet. I hope you'll enjoy this.

* * *

After taking a nap that afternoon, Matt spent the rest of his time off with the girls, bringing them to the park and for a walk while they rode their bikes. He knew that he'd eventually need to remove those training wheels but he'd have to think of a strategy to give both girls the same amount of attention for it to work but that would have to wait for another day. They were going around the block so they didn't get too tired before diner time. They washed their hands so they could help their dad doing dinner, he was making home made mac and cheese. As an adult, he didn't mind eating anything, regardless of if it was healthy or not but since the twins were born and Hallie had left them, he had had to adjust and make better food for his daughters. Emma missed the cheese in the casserole while it was on a low simmer and once Matt had put it in an oven dish, Grace took cheese with moth hands and sprinkled it on top, making it extra cheesy, just how they loved it. Matt put everything in the oven and the girls helped him set the table and running around each other. He leaned against the kitchen doorframe as the girls chased after each other, giggling until Emma slipped on the hardwood floor, Grace stumbling on top, both of them still laughing. He was just watching his five year old twins, having fun, not really understanding what their reality entailed since their mother had left them but he was glad they seemed happy none the less. They was always a voice of the back of his head, making him doubt his ability to be a good father but Herrmann's voice reminded him that he was doing a great job and that his best was all he could give them.

"Careful girls." He grinned at them and returned to the kitchen.

"Yes daddy." Both girls were laughing, still sprawled on the floor.

"Diner is ready, wash up." He placed the dish on the table as Emma helped Grace to her feet and they did what they were told before returning to the table and sitting in their usual spot. "You girls had fun today?"

"Uh huh." Emma put a mouthful of mac and cheese in her mouth, preventing her from talking and Grace just rolled her eyes.

"That means yes dad." She said with all the sassiness in her.

"I'm glad you cleared that up." He just leaned against his chair and watched both girls eat, this was their favourite dish.

"Can we go to the Navy Pier tomorrow daddy?" Emma asked once her plate was empty.

"Pretty lease daddy." Grace batted her eyelashes and smiled at him, making him laugh.

"I think that's a great idea. It's supposed to be sunny and hot tomorrow, could be fun but we'll have to go to bed early tonight so we can get up early in the morning. It'll be more fun if it's not too packed, what do you guys think?

"Yay." They both cheered. Grace finished her plate while Emma took another serving before Matt cleared everything and gave them some cut up fruits for desert.

"Come on girls, time to clean up and then bed. We have a big day tomorrow." They quickly ran up the stairs and they showered one after the other and Matt got them to brush their teeth before he combed their hair. He wasn't an expert at that but he could make a ponytail and a braid ok and the girls didn't complain if it wasn't perfect. Ok, bed time."

"Can we have some music on dad?" Grace all but begged.

"Sure but I'm not looping it."

"You have a deal." Emma said smiling. Both girls loved listening to music but they didn't argue when their father said no. He turned off the light and went back downstairs to grab a beer and watch the football game that was on. He could hear the girls whispering loudly from his spot on the couch and it only made him laugh because they always thought he couldn't hear them. He waited for his beer to be done and to make sure the girls were really sleeping before he headed for bed. It had been an big adjustment for him when they were born and that Hallie had left them but his two beautiful girls were the best gift life could give him and he was grateful for them and the chance to be a dad everyday. He fell asleep quickly, he was exhausted. Matt didn't need an alarm clock on days like this. The girls were so excited that they were like a tornado going through the house.

"Wake up daddy. We're ready to go." They bounced next to his bed, already dressed.

"I can see that." He mumbled, turning to his side. "Give me ten minutes and I'll meet you downstairs for breakfast."

"Can you make us some french toast?" Emma asked, smiling.

"Sure." He smiled. "What do you guys want on it?

"Bananas." "And blueberries." Both girls said one after the other.

"Ok so why don't you go take what you want and put it on the counter while I get ready?" They turned around without answering and ran down the stairs. He turned around and got on his back again, running a hand through his hair before getting up. He took a quick shower and wore a short sleeve, navy blue button down with black shorts that stopped right above his knee. It was supposed to be a hot one today and in his half slumber, he hadn't really paid attention to the girls attire. When he walked into the kitchen, he was satisfied with what he saw. Even though the two girls were their own person, they normally dressed differently but today they made an exception. They were both dressed in black shorts and purple camisoles with their hair in a high ponytail that they had managed to do themselves. "Ok so we have one hour to be out of the door so you girls need to hurry up ok?" They both nodded again and Matt fixed breakfast that they ate quickly and Matt was locking the door fourty five minutes later. They drove to the Navy Pier that was twenty minutes away and Matt took both girls by the hand. "Ok girls, I want you to stay close to me because we don't want to be seperated.

"Yes daddy." Clearly they didn't want to be seperated from their dad either.

* * *

Gabby spent a quiet evening with the kids after getting all the furniture for their new place. Valentina was alread asleep and she was sitting on Antonio's couch, flanked by both her sons, they were watching a kids movie. She didn't think she'd have these kinds of quiet moments since Alberto had passed and although her heart held a weight that wouldn't go away overnight but in the two days she had been back home, things were going well and she hoped it would keep going in that direction. She ran her fingers through Filippe's hair and pulled Luis closer to her.

"I was thinking we could go to the Pier tomorrow, what do you guys think?"

"Is there fun things to do there?" Luis looked up to her.

"Loads. There's games and rides."

"And ice cream?" Filippe's eyes almost twinkled with hope.

"Yes baby ice cream too." She chuckled. Laura peaked her head in the living room before heading upstairs.

"You guys good in here?"

"Yeah, I'm going to put the boys to bed soon and maybe have a glass." Gabby smiled at her sister-in-law.

"Alright boys, it's time for bed, we have a big day tomorrow." Filippe got up and slowly made his way upstairs but Gabby had to pick Luis up in her arms because he had fallen asleep leaning against her. She tucked both of them in with a kiss to the forehead and she went back downstairs. She poured herself a glass of red wine and settle in the couch, putting some music on the stereo. In the past year, she hadn't had any real time to herself and coming back to Chicago under such circumstances, she had a lot on her mind. She thanked God every day for the three gifts that her life with Alberto had given her but she wished every day to have him back next to her, helping her raise their kids. She took a small sip and then another, letting some of the pain out as tears rolled down her eyes, sobbing softly. The bottle wasn't all that full but she managed to drink the rest of it, tension leaving her body with the slight buzz it created. Gabby made her way upstairs half an hour later, settling in the bed next to the boys and immediately falling asleep. She woke up the next morning to the sun shining through the blinds, the boys still very asleep. Like her late husband, they could sleep through anything so she grabbed some clothes and padded towards the bathroom down the hall. She quickly showered, hoping she would give Laura a morning to sleep in a little longer. She put on a blank tank top with a lace back and jean shorts, pulling her hair in a ponytail before she went downstairs to find Laura making breakfast and feeding Valentina.

"You should have woken me up Laura." She complained. "I can take care of them, you have enough on your plate with two teenagers." She sat down next to her daughter and took the coffee Laura handed her.

"I don't mind the extra work, you have great kids Gabby and I haven't seen them in forever so it's my way of making up for that time missed and it gives you a little time to yourself."

"Thanks. You'll never know how truly grateful I am for you and Antonio."

"Anytime sis." Antonio kissed her cheek as he walked through the kitchen threshold. "So what are your plans for today?"

"We are going to the Navy Pier. I think it will do the kids some good to have a little fun." She smiled and took a bite of the muffin Laura had put in front of her.

"And it'll be good for you too." He smiled at her. "Did you have the school talk with them yet?"

"School." Valentina repeated.

"No but I was thinking of casually bringing it up tonight, maybe over diner?"

"Gabby, you need to have a real talk with them about this, it's a big change for them, and for you."

"I know." She whispered as the boys came down, obviously still in their beds.

"What's for breakfast?" Luis asked. Filippe was still asleep on the chair to talk.

"I made toast and bacon, you guys have a big day today." Laura smiled at them. The took the plates that was given to them and ate in silence while Gabby got Valentina dressed. She knew it was going to be a hot day so she dressed her in matching jean shorts and a plain white camisole, accentuating her darker skin tone. She prepared a bag for her and came back down the stairs with the toddler just as the boys were done eating, putting their dishes in the sink.

"Come on boys, go get dressed. I don't want to be stuck in crowds, and wear some shorts and t's, it's going to be hot outside." She called after them but they were already gone up the stairs. They returned with light clothes and Gabby strapped everyone in Antonio's car that she was borrowing until she could get one of her own. They drove to the pier and Gabby got the stroller for Valentina and the boys put their caps before she turned to them. "Ok so there is going to be a lot of people here so I want you boys to hold on to your sister's stroller is that clear?" She demanded of her two oldest who understood more than they let on. They walked through the pier, the boys behaving and Valentina pointing at everything she could put her little eyes on. After maybe forty minutes, she started squirming in her stroller.

"Down." She requested. Gabby wasn't sure if she should but considering the boys were behaving, she decided it would be ok. She held onto the little girl by the hand while trying to hold the stroller with the other one but Valentina started to jump up and down, pulling her mother's hand.

"Slow down baby." She said firmly and the little girl settled briefly before pulling so hard that they separated and Gabby ran after her daughter, the boys rooted in their spot. She didn't look where she was going when she ran into a hard body and just as she was about to fall, hands help onto her arms and the commotion, Valentina stopped her run. "Oh my god I'm so sorry." She looked up at the blonde man with piercing blue eyes that was in front of her who had prevented her fall. "My daughter started running and." She started but he interrupted her with a smile.

"It's ok ma'am, I know how that is." His smile never left his lips and he helped her stand straight. "I have two girls who want to do and see everything here."

"Yeah." She said absentmindedly, the boys coming to her side.

"Can we go on the rides mom?" Luis asked, not really caring about the adult interaction before his eyes.

"Sure buddy." She ruffled his hair and took Valentina in her arms. "Thanks again for breaking my fall." She felt heat radiate in her cheeks as she smiled at the stranger in front of her.

"It's my pleasure." He smiled back at her. "Come on girls, we don't want to wait the long line at the ferris wheel." He motioned to the girls to follow and he took them by the hands and walked in the direction of the big ride. Gabby walked past him with the boys and Valentina once again secured in the stroller. Her heart had clearly skipped a beat but she put it on the emotion of almost loosing her daughter in the crowd and almost falling. She looked behind her one last time and they kept going for the rest of the morning and afternoon.

* * *

 **a/n** Ok so I'm sorry it took a little bit of time before I was able to get this chapter written(even though I wrote it today in its full) I'm trying to balance family life and summer (if such a thing can start) So I hope that you guys liked it because I had another idea on their first meeting but this one sort of popped up in my mind this morning and I got excited about it. I know it's not a full fledge meeting but the seed was planted.

 **Next up:** Matt brings the girls to 51 as promised and Gabby spends another day with the kids before they have the school open house on Friday but can Matt keep the mysterious girl out of his mind and will Gabby's heart remind her of what it means to beat for someone else?

Please take a few seconds to review this latest chapter because I really like to know what you guys think of it. - Sarra


	5. Thoughts

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and the name of all the kids. The original story idea goes to Justicerocks11**

 **a/n: Wow! I'm super psycked about the reviews this story is getting so thank you to everyone who leave them, even guests who I can't reply to individually, it means the world to me. So Matt and Gabby meeting leave an undeniable impression on both parties and we'll see how it affects them in their day to day life so I hope you'll enjoy this latest chapter.**

* * *

Matt spent the rest of the day at the pier with thoughts of the mysterious woman he had bumped into. The girls had to, on several occasions, get him out of his thoughts and back with them but that didn't stop them from having a great day together. They hadn't gone to the pier in a very long time and now the girls were older, it was more fun. Before they left, the girls had begged him for some cotton candy under the condition that they wold eat their diner and when they stopped at a pizza place, they had emptied their plates with a second serving.

"You girls had fun today?"

"Yes." Emma yawned, making Matt chuckled.

"Looks like the two of you will be going to bed early, we have a big day at the firehouse tomorrow."

"Will we get to sit in your truck?" Grace smiled broadly.

"Sure, I'll even ask Cruz to put you in the driver seat if you want and if you're nice and Chief Boden says it's ok, you might be able to go on the ladder." Grace grew increasingly happy at this, she always loved the firehouse and getting to do stuff like that while Emma was content exploring and know what everything did. "But only if he says it's ok." He warned her.

"Yes daddy."

"Come on." He smiled at Emma who was yawning again. "Let's get you two ladies in bed before I have to carry you out of here." He paid the check and both girls walked to the truck and got in before he buckled them up and they left for home. He tucked both girls after they were washed up and went back downstairs. He was still hungry so he decided to make home made nachos and he grabbed himself a beer before retreating to the living room. He sat down and turned on the tv and found a movie he liked but it didn't take time for that movie to be background noise and his mind to drift off againt to the woman who had bumped into him. The mocka skin under his touch was soft and those grown eyes had left an impression on him but the two boys and the beautiful little girl that was a spitting image of her mother reminded him that she was most likely taken and he had only seen her a brief moment and didn't even have a name so he tried to push her out of his thoughts and watched the movie he had found on his tv. When he was done eating, he went to bed because even though it wasn't late from his standpoint, having the girls with him at the house would require more energy. He went to sleep with thoughts of the woman in his head, he couldn't help it. The next morning, the girls were excited and got dressed in clothes that they could get dirty because no matter how careful you were, a firehouse was not a place for sunday clothes. They skipped breakfast because Mills would do it at the house and they quickly left and Matt parked in his usual spot when they arrived at the house. He stopped them in front of the door to give his usual reminders.

"I want you girls to be polite and not too excited because I don't want you to get hurt on something and you do not touch equipment unless I'm with you am I clear?"

"Yes daddy." They both smiled.

"That's my girls, let's go say hi to everybody." They all went in and the girls immediately ran towards Severide.

"Uncle Kelly." They both squealed and jumped on his lap.

"If it isn't my two favourite goddaughters." He hugged them both.

"We're your only goddaughters uncle Kelly." Grace pulled back, giving him a face and making everyone laugh.

"Can't put anything past her, unckle Kelly." Leslie Shay giggled at the coffee machine. "What about me girls? Where's my hug?" She smiled at them and they quickly got off of Severide and ran towards Shay's open arms. Matt couldn't have chosen better godparents for his girls and they had helped a lot with them when they were babies when Hallie had suddenly left them. "You want to come with me in the ambulance to go get some gas?" She looked up at Matt, smiling and the girls were jumping up and down."Is that ok dad?" Shay asked.

"Please please please daddy can we go?"

"Sure but you listen to everything Aunt leslie tells you ok?"

"Yes daddy." They both said as they followed behind Shay.

"And don't go corrupting my daughters." I bellowed after Shay.

"And breakfast with be ready when you come back." Mills told them.

"Thanks Peter." Matt said before leaving the common room to head to his office. He still had some paperwork to finish from last shift and he took the opportunity to do so while the girls were gone. It was going well until her face popped in his mind, making it impossible to concentrate anymore. "Come on Casey, stop thinking about her." He said to himself, this was rediculous. He had met her for a brief moment and still he couldn't keep her out of his mind.

"Her?" Herrmann's voice stopped his thoughts and he then realised that he had said those words out loud.

"Did I hear a her?" Severide walked by right after Herrmann spoke.

"Close the door." He huffed, knowing neither Herrmann or Severide would let off if he didn't tell them about her.

"Did you meet someone?" Kelly was always bolder when it came to these things. He had always encouraged him to go out there and meet someone but he always claimed that the girls came first and that having someone at his side wasn't a must.

"More like she bumped into me at the pier yesterday and now I can't get her out of my head."

"That little lady have a name?" Chris asked smiling.

"No, just a face and three kids. This is so messed up." He ran his hands over his face.

"Did you see a ring? Because if there's no ring who cares about three kids." Severide pipped up.

"Severide's right."

"This is not helping me guys. I probably won't even see her again."

"Think of it this way lieutenant, this was a chance meeting and if it's meant to be, something will put her in your path again." Matt nodded, accepting Herrmann's logic and hoped that he did. Maybe that would help take her out of his mind if he knew more about her. Both patted him on the shoulder with a smirk and left him to his paperwork. The girls returned about thirty minutes later to Mills calling everyone to chow. Matt sat at his usual spot at the head of the table and the girls quietly ate while everyone around them were making jokes. Grace must have noticed chief Boden from the corner of her eye so she pushed her empty plate aside and got up.

"Good morning Mr. Boden." She greeted him

"Good morning Grace. You know you can call me Wallace." He smiled at her. She shrunched her eyebrows, pondering what her father had once told her. "Daddy says it's not polite to call an adult by their first name Mr. Boden." She talked like such a grown up.

"Daddy raised you right then." He chuckled. "What can I do for you Grace?"

"Can we go on the ladder of daddy's truck today?" Boden smiled at the girl in front of him and looked up to meet Casey's eyes.

"Sure, as long as you promise you'll be careful and that your dad will be with you."

"Thank you Mr Boden."

"You're very welcome Grace." He chuckled as she turned around to join her sister that was now on the couch, watching cartoons. The rest of the morning was pretty easy with only a couple easy calls, giving the house the opportunity to spend some time with the girls. After lunch, Matt took them to the apparatus floor so they could hop in the truck. Grace sat in her father's place up front and Cruz took Emma in the driver's seat, answering all the questions she had about what every button and dial did.

"Can I blow the horn?" She asked Cruz excitedly.

"Go for it." She pulled on lever and the loud sound resonated on the high ceiling, making Grace jump in her seat before she started giggling. When she managed to stop, Matt helped her up the side of the truck and went up with her on the ladder. She was too small for him to ask to raise the aerial but he was comfortable enough to let her walk up there with him. Suddenly, she sat down cross legged, facing her father.

"Do you go on the ladder daddy?

"Sometimes when we go in really big buildings. I'm really careful though because I love you and I don't want to get hurt." Matt knew that even their five year old minds worried about him, they knew he had a dangerous job.

"Ok." She smiled.

"Come on, let's get you down before we get a call." Severide was there to help her down safely and they all went to the common room before the bell rang. The girls stayed with Connie while 51 rolled out. The rest of the afternoon wasn't as slow as the morning, bringing one call after the other. Connie was staying with the twins and took the treasure chest out so they could have fun. It was loaded with toys, crayons and DIY stuff so whenever they would come, they wouldn't get bored. They managed to eat dinner as a family with the rest of 51 and after a bigger call after that, Matt sent them both to his office for a night of sleep while he filled up the paperwork for their last call. He would look over his shoulder every once in a while to make sure his girls were still ok.

"You're doing a great job Matt." Boden walked over to his lieutenant's open door.

"Thanks chief, I try." Both men smiled at each other, the girls were cuddled together, like they always did when they slept at 51.

"But now it might be time for you to open your heart to someone, you deserve to be happy." Boden had seen Matt grow from a new dad and great lieutenant into a strong father figure for his girls.

"It's just that we have a demanding job and the girls are my priority, finding love seems like it's the last thing I should be thinking about right now." He leaned backwards in his chair, looking at his sleeping daughters. Regardless of the fact that the woman he had seen at the pier didn't seem to want to leave his mind, he couldn't let that take up too much of his thoughts, he had a much more important role to play.

"I know but don't be afraid to open your heart, in the end it might be the best for you and the girls."

"Thanks chief." He smiled at his superior before Boden left him alone to finish his report.

* * *

Gabby managed for the first time to easily put the kids to bed after the day at the pier, they were exhausted and so was she. She promised herself that she would have the talk about school with the boys in the morning and when she went to bed and closed her eyes, those piercing blue eyes were suddenly creeping in her tired mind. Her heart had skipped a beat, there was no doubt about that but this wasn't the right time to thinking about meeting someone new. It was too soon after Alberto's death and she was still grieving and she had to get back to normal before she even consider going out to meet people, let alone a guy. She turned on her side and let sleep engulf her. She woke up to the sun peaking through the blinds and to an elevated heartbeat from the dream she just had of the stranger she bumped into yesterday, his blue eyes and smile staying trapped in her memory. She quietly got up and headed for the shower to clear her mind off all of this. When she returned to her room, refreshed and dressed, the twins were up and looking for some clothes.

"We are probably going to go to the park today so don't dress to heavy alright? Come meet me in the kitchen when you're done, I'll get your sister." They both nodded and she padded through Antonio's hallway towards Eva's room but the teenager was already gone and Valentina was slowly waking up. "Morning baby." She smiled at her daughter that was sitting up on the mattress.

"Mama." She smiled, raising her arms in the air to be taken in Gabby's arms.

"Let's get you dressed. We are going to the park."

"YAY, park." She squealed. Gabby helped her put a t-shirt and shorts knowing she would get dirty in the sand. She picked her up and headed for the kitchen where she sat her in the high chair and the boys sat at the table. She made them some toast and grabbed coffee and a muffin for herself before they all settled and ate. Gabby looked at the boys and she figured that since they were alone in the house, now was a good time to talk about school.

"Luis and Filippe." She said to grab their attention. It was something she had talked about with Alberto before his passing but had yet to talk to the boys about but time was passing and September would be at their doorsteps in no time.

"What's wrong mama?" Luis asked. She hadn't realized that tears were forming in her eyes at the thought of her late husband and she wiped them away.

"Nothing baby." She smiled through her tears. "But I need to talk to you about something."

"Are you leaving like daddy too?" Filippe asked. Gabby's heart broke even more.

"No, I'm not going anywhere but back home, daddy and I had a talk about sending the two of to school."

"Do we have too?" They both pouted, making her smile again.

"Yes. You're so grown up now and you'll have loads of fun there and meet some new friends there. Pretty cool huh?"

"I guess so. Where are we going to school?" They asked. Sometimes it was as if they read each other's minds because the answered he same at the same time more often than not.

"Well tomorrow is Friday and we are going to go visit the school I saw close to where your sister will go to daycare while mommy works. What do you think if we all go visit it together?"

"Sure."

"Perfect. Now come on, eat up so we can go to the park." This discussion had gone way easier that she had originally thought. She finished helping Valentina eat while the boys hurried to finish their breakfast so they could go to the park. They walked the short distance to the park where the boys ran off to the big structure with slides on it. Sliding and climbing were their favourite thing to do so she let them go, keeping an eye on them. She took Valentina to the smaller structure where there was a small climbing wall and a slide that were easily accessible for her. Gabby sat with her feet in the sand and watched her kids play and enjoy themselves. For the next hour, they ran and jumped and climbed and slid their hearts out while her mind kept bringing her images of the blue eyes stranger from the pier, keeping her completely boys kept asking for her to look at what they were doing on the monkey bars, often interruption her minds relentlessness.

"This is getting out of hand." Her mind screamed. "Ok guys let's go home, we're going for a drive." She got up and wiped the sand from her clothes and feet before picking Valentina and strapping her in her stroller. The boys quickly followed her and when they arrived at Antonio's, she put everyone in their seats and drove off, she needed to talk to someone about this. The drive wasn't very long before they arrived at Laura's bakery. Everyone hopped out and Gabby put Valentina on the ground so she could walk inside with her brothers.

"Auntie Laura." The boys screamed once they saw her.

"Hey guys, what are you doing here?" Laura looked up from the boys to Gabby.

"Mommy wanted to go for a drive." Filippe proudly said, making Laura laugh. Laura looked at Gabby again and she knew her sister-in-law needed to talk. "Why don't you guys go see Kate and get whatever you want and sit down where we can see you." Laura instructed the boys.

"And take your sister with you please." Gabby really needed an adult talk right now. Luis took Valentina's hand and they went to the counter to get something to eat.

"Is something wrong?" Laura asked as they sat down at a table in the far corner of the shop.

"Something is very wrong."

"Out with it then." Laura grew serious.

"Ok so yesterday, we went to the Navy pier and it was all about having fun right?"

"Gabby, you're sounding weird right now."

"Ok so here's the thing. Valentina wanted to walk so I put her down from the stroller and she got all excited and I had to talk her down a little bit but then she pulled so hard on my hand that she pulled away from me and started running so I ran after her and BAM. I walk into this guys." She said all in one breath.

"Ok, nothing wrong in there so far." Laura obviously didn't know where this was going.

"But the thing is, he had these eyes. They were blue, like I've never seen before and I apologized and he just smiled at me."

"He was just being polite Gabby, what's so wrong about that?"

"What's wrong is that right there, in the middle of the pier, my heart skipped a beat when he smiled at me."

"It's ok Gabby." Laura finally getting the drift. "It's ok to feel again."

"No it's not. It hasn't even been a year yet Laura." Gabby's eyes suddenly welled up with tears. "And he has kids too, he's probably someone's husband. This is wrong on so many levels." She angrily wiped her tears with the back of her hand.

"Maybe this is just your heart's way of telling you that you're ready to let someone in." Laura took her hand in hers. She hated seeing her husbands sister in such distress but she knew Gabby needed to go through all the phases before she would fully become better.

"I just can't stop thinking about him Laur. I was thinking about him when I went to bed and I was dreaming about him when I woke up and at the park, my mind kept drifting back to him."

"Tell me you at least asked his name."

"NO." She growled, making Laura smirk. "NOT funny."

"Ok, sorry not laughing." She squeezed Gabby's hand. "But I mean it Gabs. I know right now you're hurting and confused but one day, you're going to have to let yourself fall for someone again and this stranger is the one to make you feel like that again, than maybe it was a blessing you bumped into him." Gabby took in everything Laura was telling her. It did make sense but her heart was screaming that it was wrong to feel this way so soon. She nodded and smiled at her.

"Thanks Laura, I really needed this talk." She smiled once more. The kids finished eating and they left about half an hour later, Gabby had a few things to take care of before tomorrow's open house at the school and for Saturday when the store would deliver her furniture at her new place and work on Monday.

* * *

 **a/n: So it seems both Gabby and Matt can't keep the other out of their minds but only having met a few minutes, what does it really mean for both single parents? Will they even meet again?**

 **Next up:** School open house.

 **I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and I hope you'll take a few seconds to leave a review so I can know what you guys think of it. The next chapter might take a little bit to be posted because I feel I've been ignoring some of my other stories so I'll try making up for that and if you have a little more than a few seconds, I have a poll on my profile page for my story Coming Home so if you guys could vote, it would help me greatly - Sarra**


	6. School Open house

**Disclaimer** : **I own nothing excempt my imagination and the kids names.**

 **a/n: I never thought in a million years that this story would be this popular (the most popular one in my line-up in ways of reviews per chapters) so I'm a happy lady. So thank you to everyone who reviewed (or didn't), who favourited and followed it, I really apreciate all the support.**

 **I know I said it would take some time to post this new ch but I managed to find inspiration for the other story I hadn't updated in a long time so I'm posting this new one sooner than the beginning of next week. I hope you enjoy it.**

* * *

After Gabby had visited Laura, her mind was slightly more at ease although this unexpected meeting had aftected her in more ways than she cared to admit. She went to buy herself some new scrubs and replace her old stethoscope so she would be ready to start working at Lakeshore on Monday. The boys had asked why she had to wear such funny clothing and she had explained to them how it was working in a hospital and how she couldn't her her own clothed like she did every day. Then they went back home and she busied herself preparing dinner while the kids were all napping. They had moved in with Antonio's family and the first days, she had been so exhausted that she could barely manage to wake up at a normal hour and Laura had to pick up her slack but today would be different. She would cook food for all eight of them. When the kids came back from school, both went to the living room to start their homework, knowing the kids were down and didn't want to disturb them.

"It smells really good in here Aunt Gabby, what are we having?"

"Rice and shrimp. I thought I'd give your mom a little break, she's been doing so much since I came here."

"We like having you here. I'm really sorry about uncle Alberto." You could see the teen was nervous and that she didn't know how to react to her aunts situation.

"Thanks sweetie." She smiled at her neice before she returned to her homework. The door opened and closed again and Laura appeared in the kitchen.

"Smells great in here. What do we owe this honour too?" She walked closer to her sister-in-law.

"I know it's not much but it's a little thank you." She shrugged.

"You don't need to say thank you. You're family and that's what family does, they stick up for each other. You would have done the same thing." Laura wrapped her arm around Gabby's shoulder and pulled her in for a side hug. "Little monsters are asleep?"

"We're not little monsters." Luis came in unnoticed and sat down at the breakfast bar, making both women laugh. Filippe came in a few minutes later and sat next to his brother.

"What are we eating mom?"

"Daddy's Shrimp and rice recepie." It was always their favourite one and they didn't hide their delight just as Valentina started wimpering upstairs.

"I'll go get her." Laura told Gabby so she could keep making dinner. She came back a few minutes later, Valentina in her arms. "Look who I found." The little girl smiled in her aunt's arms. Gabby pushed a few stray locks from her eyes and kissed her forehead.

"Dinner is almost ready, go wash up guys." Gabby moved the pan away from the fire and turned it off while everyone scrambled towards the bathroom to clean up. Both Gabby and Laura set the table in the meantime.

"Any more thoughts about your mystery man?"

"No. I had a few errands to run after I left you and put the three down for a nap before starting dinner but thanks for planting the idea back in my head." She said teasingly, making Laura laugh. The kids all came rushing back and sat down at the table. Gabby served everyone and they started eating, Antonio coming home only thirty minutes later. The kids were all done eating and about in the house while the two girls were still at the table, drinking wine.

"Hey baby." He kissed Laura's head. "Sis."

"We left you some." She said as he sat down. Once Antonio was done, he helped his wife and sister to clean everything up and Gabby started getting all three of them cleaned up for bed, they had a big day ahead of them. Although the open house at the school wasn't until 2, she wanted to be able to bring Valentina for the morning at the daycare to get her used to the idea before picking her up and going for lunch and the park to ease any nervousness the boys could have. Once they all settled, Gabby went to bed and closed her eyes, blue ones dancing before her eyelids with that smile that made her heartbeat quicken instantly before falling asleep. As planned, the next morning Gabby took Valentina to daycare and although she had cried a little bit, she had not fought her mother when she was left alone with the young woman. Then she took the boys clothe shopping again, knowing that most of their clothes would need replacing. Around eleven thirty, she went to pick her youngest at the daycare so they could grab lunch and go to the park. Once they arrived at the school around a quarter to two, Gabby was impressed with the way it had been organized so far. The four of them sat down at the designated table and waited for everyone to arrive.

* * *

Firehouse 51 had a lone call during the night and Matt had been forced to stay behind since no one was there to watch them anymore, Herrmann would be his stand-in. They returned an hour later and Matt had fallen asleep on the couch. Once he woke up in the morning, he got the girls ready to go and they went home for much needed rest in his case and the girls played quietly in the house in the meantime. He woke up a little bit before noon, making sure the girls ate enough since he knew they'd be all excited about meeting new people. They left around one and drove all the way to the school. Upon their arrival, future teachers greeted them and they were given name tag stickers to put on their shirts with different animals in order to have them in the good groups. They were then indicated towards a bigger room where parents and their kids were waiting for everyone to arrive and for the teaching staff to start. Each parent was given a folder with things to expect and such before they were welcomed to the open house. Once the principal gave her welcome speech, the kids were called to the front according to the animal that was on their stickers so Matt was left alone while his daughters left to have fun in a classroom. Then the parents divided in the same groups as the kids in order to give us a tour and tell us everything about the installations. There was somewhat of a commotion as the parents moved round the room so they coin join their groups.

Matt was moving around not to bump into anyone and that's when he heard her voice. He couldn't quite pinpoint where it was coming from but he would recognize it anywhere but then it happened again. As she took a step towards the little girl in front of her, he bumped into her again, steadying her once more. Clearly she hadn't paid attention to her surroundings.

"I'm so very sorry. My daughter ran away and I couldn't lose her in here." She finally looked up and brown met blue.

"She's a little troublemaker it seems." He simply stated and smiled at her.

"Not usually." She smiled back once Matt judged she was stable enough on her feet.

"Matt Casey." He extended his hand for her to shake as he parked up the courage to make it more than it had been at the pier.

"Gabby Dawson Ramirez." She said out of habit, shaking his hand. So she had a husband, he noticed the sparkling ring on her finger, this was messed up. Their eye contact was quickly interrupted when a teacher in the front asked everyone to follow her for the tour. The both ended up straggling behind like teenagers, Matt listening absentmindedly while Gabby was talking to her daughter, trying to prevent the little girl from leaving her side.

"Your husband couldn't get away from work to be here today?" Matt asked nervously, feeling the need to know more.

"No he couldn't." Gabby couldn't just tell this stranger about her dead husband, it felt easier to give him this white lie. "What about you? You have a girl at home with a younger sibling?" She asked, testing the waters.

"No. It's just me and the girls." He couldn't help but be candid with her. His answer gave Gabby's heart an extra jolt knowing there was no one in his life. Her mind screamed at her that it was wrong to show interest but she hoped it would pass as casual conversation between two parents.

"This is a big step for them, how are they taking it?" Matt asked about her boys, knowing she was probably in the same situation as he was.

"Better than I thought. They never went to daycare so it's a bit hard for them to understand that they won't spend as much time with me as they used to but they seem to accept my explanation of growing up and learning new things and meeting new people." She repositioned Valentina on her hip just as the teacher stopped them to talk about the principals office and what it was used for and then continuing on the tour.

"Same for the girls. They go to daycare when I'm working but they're used to being with me on my days off so it makes them sad but they understand." Matt explained his situation to her. They spent the rest of the tour doing small chatter when the situation offered it and then they were returned to the room they were in the beginning, where the kids were now back in as well, playing with various things. Both Matt and Gabby walked towards their twins, who were sitting and playing quietly together. Matt noticed that that all four kids had the same dog on their name tags, telling him that they would be in the same group come fall.

"Did you girls have fun?" Matt tickled their necks.

"Yes daddy, we even made friends. This is Luis and that is Filippe." Grace pointed to each twin, giving her father their names.

"You've been playing nice boys?"" She ruffled their hair.

"Mom, stop it." Luis pushed her hand aside, clearly embarrassed.

"Yes mom." Filippe countered. "Grace and Emma are fun. Can they come play when we move in our new house?" Gabby and Matt looked at each other and smiled.

"We'll see about it buddy. Maybe when you start school and your sister is used to daycare ok?" Gabby didn't want to promise them anything but things would be easier once they were settled back in a normal routine and that they were each used to their new situation, her included. The principle gave her closing speech and invited parents who wanted to enrol their kids to visit her office where her secretary would wait for them to fill in the proper paperwork. "Come on boys, let's get going. Nice to meet you Matt." She turned to him and smiled.

"Nice to meet you too Gabby. Maybe we'll see each other in these halls again." He smiled back at her.

"Maybe." She turned around and the boys followed her out of the room.

They were both separated on their way up to the principal's office. They had both been very impressed about the school and the teachers so it was only natural that they would come here, making for future meetings between the two no doubt making it more complicated for the two single parents with an obvious attraction for one another that seemed only one sided from an outsider's perspective.

* * *

 **a/n: So Finally Matt and Gabby have a bigger interraction together.(I used my own experience to do the school visit part since I just went for my daughter) I love playing with children's innocence because they never really know what they can accomplish without even knowing it. So Velentina helped the two's paths cross again and the two sets of twins seem to be getting along so far but will that last?**

 **Up Next:** Matt get's injured on the job and Gabby starts at Lakeshore.

 **I hope you guys liked this latest chapter and that you'll take a few minutes to leave a review because I always love to know what you guys think about it.**


	7. Fire

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except my imagination and the name of the kids.

 **a/n:** Wow. I know I say it every chapter but thanks to everyone who reviewed (or didn't but still read it) and those who follow and favourite it, it means the world to me. I hope you enjoy this next one.

* * *

The rest of the day after the open house was used to relax and go to bed early because in the morning, Gabby would have to be at her new apartment to wait for her things to be delivered. Her mother had offered to keep all three kids so she wouldn't have them in her hair while the movers and Antonio were there to help plus she had a few other things to get done. She walked into her new place and immediately opened the windows, letting the soft summer breeze blow through, giving it a different smell. She hadn't needed to paint the walls, satisfied with the ones the previous tenant had picked out. Antonio helped clean the kitchen and pantry so when the movers were gone, they could go to the store and buy most of what was missing. Although the movers were scheduled to be there between eight and five, they arrived at nine and were already gone by the time it was ten. Gabby and Antonio drove to the nearest store and bought everything from dishes to silverware to a large grocery run. Monday was coming around the corner and she had to be ready for her first shift. It was mid afternoon when they came back from the groceries. Gabby was stocking the cupboard and Antonio was taking care of putting dishes and such in the dishwasher so they could be ready to use as soon as they moved in.

"Are you nervous about Monday?" She looked at him from over her shoulder and smiled

"Yes. I haven't practiced in a while and I take care of kids so it makes me nervous times two."

"You'll do great, like you always do. So how did the open house go?"

"It went great, the boys even made friends with twin girls so that's good." She kept putting food away.

"That will make it easier for them, help with the transition." Gabby nodded but her mind was on Matt Casey and their encounter at the school. She kept replaying their introduction in her mind and how she had said that her husband hadn't been able to get away from work in order to be there and she felt bad for lying. Since she had taken Alberto's name, introducing herself with both names had been a second nature. She knew that it was wrong to lie to someone about that but her heart wasn't quite ready to let go but she needed some advice. "You still with me Gabs?" She closed the pantry and turned around, leaning against the door.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"Ok so I've been talking with Laura about something and I'm pretty sure you already know about it but I need a little help." She looked down to the ground, scratching an invisible stain with her foot.

"Is it about the stranger at the pier?"

"Matt Casey." She said looking up again. "He's the twin girls dad I was telling you about before."

"So you met him at the school. What's bothering you?" They had the best brother sister relationship anyone could have and that was exactly what she needed right now.

"He asked me if my husband was at work and couldn't free himself to be there with us and I said yes. Am I a totally bad person?" Tears were welling in her eyes but she refused to let them fall.

"You're not a bad person Gabs. I know you and your heart is hurting and you think it's too soon but it's ok to feel something for someone else again."

"I just couldn't bring myself to tell the truth. And he's a single dad and I don't know, maybe I could get to know him. But that would be unfair to Alberto and it's so messed up." The tears that she was trying to stop from falling finally fell, a small sob escaping her lips. Antonio quickly closed the distance between them and wrapped her in a hug.

"Alberto would want you to be happy Gabby." He whispered to her ear, kissing her hair. Her arms were wrapped around his waist and she kept crying in his shirt. "He would want you to live your life again and if this guys, makes you do that, than that's what he would want for you." He held her at arms lengths now and smiled at her. "I know this is confusing and I won't pretend to know how it feels but you'll be ok sis. Just give your head permission to follow your heart." He pulled her to him again and she breathed out a breath she didn't even know she was holding in. Gabby eventually pulled herself away from Antonio and they fell in comfortable silence while finishing to set up Gabby's new place. Their mom took the kids over right after dinner and they had looked around, happy with what they found.

Sunday morning, Laura had agreed to look after everyone while Gabby and Antonio went car hunting. She didn't have all that much money put aside for something like that but she couldn't keep taking Antonio's car so they went around town at used dealerships to find her something reliable to get her from A to B. She finally set her eyes on a blue four door Toyota Corolla and even though the price was a bit higher than what she had, Antonio had helped with the rest and she had promised to pay him back once she was settled at Lakeshore. They returned home for lunch to Laura making sandwiches with the boys while Valentina was in her high chair with apple pieces.

"How did it go?" Laura asked over her shoulder.

"Yeah mama, did you find a car?" Luis asked her just the way Laura had done.

"Yes baby, mom has a new car and we are all set for tomorrow.

"Who's going to stay with us? Filippe asked this time.

"Abuela and Abuelo said they'd stay with you this summer when I'm on shift so you guys will get to visit and do tons of cool things this summer until school starts." Gabby started taking plates out for everyone and setting the table, kissing Valentina's forehead as she went. Eva and Diego arrived right when lunch was served and they had a normal family lunch and afternoon before Antonio and Laura left with the kids.

After dinner, Gabby washed Valentina and gave her some milk while taking care of the boys. She got everyone to brush their teeth and got them ready for bed. She tucked Valentina in her princess bed first, the little girl had been so excited the previous evening when her mom had shown her the room that was hers. The walls were a light shade of pink, being a girls room previously as well and her furniture was white. Then she tucked the twins in their beds, their room had a firetruck themed wall paper strip a little under the hight of the ceiling and the wall that their bed were on was firetruck red and the three other ones were a light beige. It was a nursery before but it was perfect for her kids and she was thankful for the extra time not painting had given her. She retreated to her bedroom and took a shower. She let the warm water wash away the nervousness that she was starting to feel about tomorrow. She was going to send her youngest daughter to daycare for the first time in her small life and she was starting a new job at Lakeshore hospital, everything finally hitting her. Tomorrow would be the start of another kind of normal.

The next morning, Gabby was up at five. She stayed in bed a few minutes, her eyes glued to the ceiling. "Normal." She mumbled, running a hand on the empty side of her bed, where Alberto should have been. "I miss you." She whispered to no one and got up to get dressed in scrubs, putting an extra pair in a gym bag incase she needed it. She washed her face to try to wake up a little bit more and removed her wedding rings that she placed on her desk to put some moisturizing creme. Once she was done and was about to slip them back on her finger, she stopped. She thought about her talk with Antonio on Saturday and her rapid heartbeat was going against everything she thought but one thing Antonio had said stuck with her. _Alberto would want you to be happy. Give your head permission to follow your heart._ She placed the rings back on her desk and removed the gold pendant that was around her neck and close to her heart ever since her husband had died. She unclasped it and slid both rings on the chain before re-clasping it and sliding it back around her neck, the new weight foreign to her. "I'll always love you but I have to start living again." She said up to the sky and wiped the few tears that had fallen on her cheeks before going to eat and get breakfast ready for Valentina before going to wake her up. She had packed a small backpack with things she would need during the day at daycare. Her mother arrived around six and Gabby went to get Valentina. This new hour to wake up was also new for her, being used to wake up when her body had enough sleep but she was smiling, making Gabby happy too.

"Let's go see Abuela." She walked back in the kitchen where her mother was pouring herself a cup of coffee. She put Valentina in her high chair and gave her cereal that she clumsily ate herself, making a rather large mess, making both mother and grandmother laugh. Once she was done, Gabby got her ready to leave and put on her coat before picking her up in her arms.

"Thanks for doing this for me mom." She smiled down at her.

"I like spending time with them. Good luck today." She eyes landed on Gabby's naked ring finger. "You took them off." It was a statement rather than a question.

"I know it's soon mom but I need to keep moving forward."

"Oh sweetie, it's not too soon. He would want you to be happy. Your father and I want you to be happy." She stood up and took her daughter in her arms, her grand daughter oblivious to it all.

"Thanks mom." She kissed her mother's cheek and thanked her again before grabbing her bags and leaving, making her way to the daycare first. Valentina left her without so much of a fuss, being happy to see friends and toys. She drove to the hospital and parked before going in to find her new boss and her new unit. She went upstairs to periatrics and went to the nurses station, presenting myself and asking for the head nurse. I waited a few minutes before she came.

"Hello Gabriella, I'm Nathalie." She shook the hand that her held out to her. "I'll show you around to the locker room and the break room before we get you started."

"Thanks." They moved around the unit where Nathalie showed her where everything was before they returned to the front desk, Nathalie having been paged for a phone call.

"It won't be long." She whispered, Gabby nodding as she took the phone call. She hung up a few seconds later. "I have some bad new for you. They need you to work the ER shift today."

"I haven't done ER in ten years." Gabby was suddenly more nervous than she was before.

"You'll be fine." Nathalie smiled softly at her. Gabby made her way down with the instructions Nathalie gave her and reporter to the ER front desk.

"I'm Gabriella Dawson, I was told to report here." She had already decided that at work she would go by her maiden name to make it easier for everyone.

"Ah yes, Gabriella. There's a firefighter in trauma 3 with second degree burns to his right flank, I need you to take care of him." A file was shoved in her hands and was given a small push in the back towards the trauma bay. Gabby quickly looked at the file, not really reading it too much because she was being put on the spot on her first day.

"Lieutenant Casey, let's look at those burns." She looked up as she entered 3 and brown met blue. Gabby was speechless.

* * *

 **a/n:** runs and hides. I know that everyone was looking forward to another interaction between Matt and Gabby but as I was writing this chapter and seeing the words pile up, I felt the need to break it down in two.

I can't pretend to know what loosing a spouse feels like but I know what losing a parents feels like and you can't just brush off the grieving process as if nothing happened, especially with three young kids so that's why I had to stop it here otherwise the chapter would have been entirely too long. I hope you enjoyed it anyway and you'll take a few minutes to leave a review, it's always welcome and I love your opinions. - Sarra


	8. Fire part 2

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination.**

 **a/n:THANK YOU to everyone who reviewed last chapter. For the first time since I started writing, last chapter got more than ten reviews all to itself. I also want to thank everyone who favourite and follow this story, it means the world to me as well.**

 **There will be a tiny flashback scene in there and it will be in italics.**

 **I know that I haven't updated in a while but I had a big week of work while on maternity leave (three days) and my body was claiming for some rest so thank you for being patient with me.**

* * *

The day started like any other day on shift. They managed to have some breakfast before all hell broke loose and things became out of hand rather quickly. The first call was a structure fire a few blocks from Lakeshore and when they arrived at the scene, the fire was already out of hand. Severide and Casey quickly instructed their respective compagnies with the task at had right after a woman came out screaming about saving her three young children, her husband being at work.

"Shay, Chilli, be ready in case the kids are in bad shape." Shay had been given a new partner and Chilli as she wanted us to call her was a sweet girl.

"We'll be waiting Casey." They masked up and went into the house of smoke. His radio crackled to life a few minutes later, Severide saying he had found the kids and was bringing them out safely with his team. Herrmann was right behind Matt when their radios came to life again.

"You have less then a minute Casey, the smoke is turning black." Boden's voice echoed in his ears.

"We gotta get out of here Herrmann." He looked back and he nodded, following behind him. He walked ahead of Casey while going down the stairs and just as Matt set foot on the final stair, it gave under him and dropped him down in the basement, fire falling with the debris.

"Firefighter down." Herrmann screamed before he faintly heard his pass alarm ring and the world turn black. When he woke up, he was being put on a gurney by Shay, Chilli and a couple of guys from Truck. Matt's coat had been removed and the pain in his right side was starting to be too much.

"Don't worry Casey, I gave you something for the pain, it should kick in soon." Shay patted his shoulder.

"What happened?" He tried getting up but Chilli pressed down on his chest to keep me from moving.

"Staircase gave under your feet, the fire burned through your gear lieutenant." Cruz filled in the blanks.

"We're taking you to Lakeshore lieutenant." Chilli smiled at him as they loaded him in and Shay stayed with Matt in the back of the ambo.

"How bad is it?" As promised, the pain was starting to lessen thanks to the IV pain meds that Shay had given him.

"It looks like second degree burns but you should be ok, it looks pretty clean." She smiled at him. He knew the girls would freak out when I would return home because they weren't used to seeing him injured and he would probably be given at the very least the rest of shift off. The ambulance came to a halt and Shay and Chilli brought the gurney down and headed inside.

"What do we have?" A nurse asked as they came in.

"Firefighter, 32 years old, fell through some stairs, fire burned through his gear, it looks like second degree burns." Shay gave her report.

"Bring him in three." She pointed where Shay needed to bring me. She settled the gurney in the small space and the nurse attached the IV's to a pole, taking Matt's vitals. Chilli had already gone to start her incident report. The curtains were pulled closed and both of them were waiting for someone to come see Matt, Shay was still at his side.

"So, Severide tells me there's a mystery girl." She teased him, taking a seat on a very uncomfortable looking chair.

"Not anymore. She's married with three kids." He know he had promised everyone that he would try to move on since Hallie's departure but it had proven to be difficult.

"That sucks, I'm sorry Matt."

"Wasn't meant to be I guess." He shrugged but deep down he hadn't felt like that for someone since Hallie and now it was just moot.

The curtain opened quickly and another nurse walked in, her head in the file. "Lieutenant Casey, let's look at those burns." She finally looked up to meet her patient when our eyes met. She seemed stunned and clearly rooted in her spot, not expecting to see someone she knew of as a patient. She stayed silent for a few seconds before he spoke.

"Gabby." He exclaimed. "I didn't know you worked here."Clearly something was going on between the two and Shay had noticed it, reminding herself to ask about it later.

"It's my first day actually and I don't usually work the ER. I just go where they send me." She looked in the file and wrote something down. Shay cleared her throat behind Matt, bringing the two's attention back to her.

"Oh sorry. Leslie Shay, Gabby Dawson Ramirez." He introduced the two girls to each other and they both shook hands. "She's the twin boys mother the girls can't stop talking about."

"It's Gabby Dawson actually." Matt looked at her, wondering where the change had come from but didn't have time to dwell on it when she spoke again.

"Let's look at those burns Matt." Clearly they both knew each other enough, even after one real meeting at the school, to address each other by their first names. "On a scale of 1 to 10, where would you say your level of pain is situated?"

"Maybe a 3. Shay gave me something for the pain, it's working really well."

"That's good." She lifted his shift up higher so she could listen to his lungs, she didn't want to make him move even if the pain was bearable. "Breathe for me." She instructed, Matt taking deep breathes, trying to control his emotions. Gabby wasn't actually touching him but her skin close to his was making his body hum with excitement, an excitement that couldn't go any farther due to her personal circumstances. She put on some latex gloves and looked at the wound where Shay had cut his grey polo shirt to make a first assessment. "You did a great job there Shay, it's looking pretty good." She smiled at the blonde paramedic, already feeling a sense of attachment to her.

"Thanks." Shay was feeling the same way, sensing a quick bond between them.

"The doc will come check you out to make sure everything is ok and you should be good to go." She smiled at the both of them before leaving, knowing she'd have to come back once the doc had checked him out. He came just a few minutes later and looked at his chart before looking at the wound.

"Everything looks good lieutenant. Ms Dawson will come patch you up and I want you to be off heavy calls for the remainder of your shift." It hadn't been lost on Matt that the doc said Ms and not Mrs and he wondered what had changed since his meeting with her at the school.

"Thank you." The doc smiled and left, Gabby returning moments later, sitting on a stool next to the bed.

"Alright, let's patch you up." She smiled at him, butterflies flying away in her stomach as she took out everything she would need. He simply nodded and let her do her job. "So how are the girls?" She looked up from what she was doing to look at him.

"They are great actually. They couldn't stop talking about how much fun they had with your sons." He smiled. The girls hadn't been able to stop talking about the boys since they came back from visiting the school with him a few days prior.

 _"It was so much fun daddy." Emma exclaimed. She had been excited since the moment we stepped foot outside the school and all the way back to the house._

 _"Filippe and Luis are so nice." Grace gushed, almost giggling. "Can we play with them sometimes dad?" She was almost begging. Matt hadn't seen his daughters this excited about possible friends in a long time. Sure they had a few in our neighbourhood and at daycare but these two boys were on a whole new level._

 _"I'm sorry but you'll have to wait until school starts. I don't know their parents but if I see them again I'll ask for sure."_

 _"Thanks daddy." They squealed and came to hug their dad._

Gabby laughed candidly. "Mommy, the girls we played with at school are pretty, can we go to the park with them? I think those were their exact words if I remember correctly."

"Looks like these boys have great taste. The Casey twins are the cutest things." Shay gushed next to Matt.

"You're just biast because you're their godmother." Matt poked her in the ribs, making her laugh.

"Maybe." She shrugged.

"Alright, you are all good to go." Gabby gave Matt some extra dressings with instructions of how often to change them and a pain medication prescription to go along with that. If she wanted something to happen, she had to make a move now but she was extremely nervous. She placed his file on her knees and parked up some courage. "I was wondering if maybe we could exchange phone numbers?" This was a bold request for having seen him only twice but her boys seemed to be getting along great with his daughters and she didn't want to keep them away from the opportunity to make friends. When He looked her in the eyes, her resolve faltered and she started stuttering ever so slightly. "I was thinking that maybe the kids could have a playdate or something like that, maybe go to the park sometime?" Matt couldn't believe his ears. She was offering a phone number trade so their kids could play together and subsequently himself to spend some time with her and he knew that it was making this sudden attraction even more complicated by not being to have her while being so close to her for the sake of his kids but he jumped at the occasion to spend more time with her and know more about her.

"Sure. You have a pen and paper?"

"No but I have my phone." Gabby didn't usually keep her phone while at work but it was her first day back at work and she wanted to make sure she could be reached if there was a problem with the kids." She pulled it out of her pocket and handed it to him, giving him a few minutes to enter his information.

"And now I have yours too." He smiled gently, pressing send on the text button so he could have hers as well.

"Give me a call when you're feeling better." Gabby smiled at Matt, Shay taking all the interactions in, ready to make her own speculations when she was alone with Matt.

"I will." He smiled at her again before she left.

"So she's your mystery woman." Shay said proudly. "You so have the hots for her."

Shay always liked the dramatic effect she had in situations like this one.

"Nothing's going to happen Shay." He said cooly before they left and drove back to 51.

Gabby spent the rest of her shift getting back into life in a hospital, everything coming back naturally as if she hadn't been away for so long. Matt went back to 51 and Boden confined him to paperwork and taking his role while Boden took his until next shift but Matt and Gabby had one thing in common: They couldn't keep their thoughts away from each other.

* * *

 **a/n: Alright so here is the big meet-up at the ER. I hope you liked it.**

 **Next up: Matt tells the girls what happened on shift and tells them the good news about arranging a playdate with the Ramirez twins.**

 **I hope that this chapter was worth the long wait I put your guys through and please leave a review, I always love to know what you thought about it - Sarra**


	9. Play date

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination.**

 **a/n: Thank you to everyone who reviewed last chapter (or read but didn't review) as well as everyone who favourite and follow the story means just as much. I'm really happy everyone is excited about this story because I love writing it.**

 **I wish I could answer to everyone individually and I try as much as possible but some people aren't logged on and I can't reply so I do on here, so this goes out to Camilla. I'm on maternity leave yes but my son is now 8 months old but thank you for your kind words.**

 **So Now for the fun part. In this chapter, you guys get to see the kids go on a play date at the park with their parents.**

* * *

The rest of shift for both Gabby and Matt went rather well. Gabby finished aroung three and headed straight home where her mom was waiting for her, the kids were in bed for a nap.

"How was your first day honey?" Her mother questioned as she put her coat in the front closet.

"I was dumped into the ER after being introduced to my new boss." She sat down and exhaled sharply. "How did it go with the kids?"

"They were well behaved, as always. We went to the market to get some lunch and played inside." Gabby was listening but her mind was clearly somewhere else. "Where's your mind honey?"

"You said this morning that Alberto would want me to be happy." She was looking at the table, her fingers playing with the pendant and her wedding rings around it.

"It's ok to be happy sweetheart. When people pass, they never completely leave us." She stopped Gabby's nervous movement with her hand before lifting her chin up to reveal her daughter's watery eyes.

"Than why does it hurt so much?" It was a loaded question and one even her mother couldn't answer.

"It's going to take some time for the pain to go away but you are strong Gabriella Dawson and you are going to get through this."

"Thanks mom." She wiped her tears away with the pads of her thumbs before smiling, her eyes looking down at her phone that had just vibrated. **Thank you for patching me up - Matt** the text messege read. **It's what I do, hope it heals well - Gabby.** She replied smiling.

"Did you meet someone today?" Esmeralda noticed the change in her daughter when she read what it said on her phone.

"We've bumped into each other a few times by chance. He came into the ER today with an injury."

"He?"

"Yes, his name is Matt Casey. First time we met was at the pier and then at the school when i went to visit with Luis and Filippe."

"Would he be the father of these two girls the boys have been talking about? Grace and Emma I think?"

"That would be him yes."

"Gabriella, the man has a wife." Her mother came to the conclusion that she was interested in a taken man.

"It's not like that mom."

"Than why does he have your phone number?"

"I gave it to him so our kids could maybe go to the park together and for the record, he has no one in his life."

"And have you told him about yours?"

"No. I was afraid to say the words out loud to a stranger."

"Maybe you bumping into him so often is a sign of fate."

"Mom no. He's really nice and a good father from what I saw but he doesn't need a damaged girl in his life like that."

"Just don't close the door to any possibilities."

"I promise." She smiled at her mother, happy to have told someone about Matt.

* * *

Matt spent part of shift locked away in his office, lying down on his cot. His paperwork was done already and it was a slow day. His eyes were locked on the cieling, his mind on Gabby Dawson Ramirez. His mind kept taking him back to earlier when he was in the hospital with Shay. The way she had presented herself to Shay as only Gabby Dawson, dropping Ramirez and how the doc has said ms instead of mrs as if she wasn't married. But then he had noticed the missing rings on her finger but had assumed it was because she was at work and didn't want anything to happen to them.

"Thinking about Gabby Dawson?" Shay's voice snapped him from his thoughts.

"That obvious huh?" He looked at her and smiled.

"She's hot. I'd go for her too if she wasn't straight."

"But she's married, nothing can happen other than friendship."

"I didn't see a ring on her finger."

"Trust me, they were there when I met her at school." Shay gave him a sympathetic smile before walking away. He kept thinking about her until he decided to send her a text. **Thank you for patching me up - Matt** I felt the need to write my name in case she thought I was a complete weirdo, just to make sure she knew who it was. **It's what I do. Hope it heals well - Gabby** Matt put his phone away and put his hands under his neck, his mind drifting to Gabby again before he fell asleep.

 **One week later**

One week had passed since Matt had been in the hospital with second degree burns to his right flank and although the girls got scared when they first found out about it, they knew that their father was always careful on the job. He was feeling much better and had followed every instruction Gabby had given him and the wound was looking better.

"Do you think we can ask Luis and Filippe's mom to go to the park tomorrow daddy?" Emma looked up from her dinner.

"I'll ask her after dinner is over. How's that?"

"Great, thanks dad." Grace smiled at him before returning to her plate. They ate dinner with the girls talking and Matt patiently listening and putting in his two cents when it was needed before they cleared the table and put everything away in the dish washer. the girls went to wash up and Matt put them in front of a movie before going upstairs to his room for a bit more privacy so he could give Gabby a call. He found her number in his contact list and started pacing in front of his bed, trying to find the courage to dial her up. After five minutes of pacing, he pressed the send button, pressing the phone to his ear, letting it ring and waiting for her to answer.

 **Don't you dare throw water out of the tub Luis Ramirez, hello?** She said as she answered, making Matt laugh. "Did I catch you at a bad time?" **Sorry, it's bath time for the twins, they get a little bit excited in the water.** She chuckled. "I can call a little bit later if you want." Matt didn't want to intrude on her time with her family. **Oh no it's ok Matt, how's the burn?** "It's a little bit itchy but it's looking good thanks." they fell in easy conversation about their day, Matt knowing that it had only been a few shifts back for her. "The girls were wondering if the boys would want to go to the park tomorrow, maybe we could have lunch?" **It sounds like fun. The boys have been asking to play with the girls every day this week and I'll provide the lunch.** "Oh no, I could never." Matt started but Gabby interrupted him. **It'll be my pleasure, just bring the girls.** "There's a park close to Lakeshore that has pic nic tables, is that good for you? Let's say 10?" **That's perfect, that park is right next to my house. I'll see you there with the kids.** "See you there Gabby." He said into the phone and she said the same before ending the call. Matt went downstairs where the girls were dozing off in the couch, the movie still playing.

"How about we go to the park tomorrow for lunch?"

"With Luis and Filippe?" The girls finally perked up at the mention of the park.

"Yes, with their little sister and their mom. We're having lunch with them."

"Yay. Thank you daddy."

"You'll need to thank Mrs Ramirez tomorrow because she's bringing lunch for everyone. Now come on, time for bed." The girls didn't object and went upstairs to brush their teeth and settle in with a story before Matt went back downstairs for some time alone.

* * *

"Ok guys, you're clean enough." The boys had spent the better half of the last half hour after washing up just throwing bubbles at each other and even though Gabby had warned them not to put water out of the tub, there was still a fair amount of it. They came out of the tub and she wrapped a towel around each of their bodies before sending them to get dressed in their pyjama's.

"We're all set mom." both boys ran back to the bathroom where Gabby was removing the water that was everywhere.

"Ok, teeth brushed and in bed, we are going to the park tomorrow with Grace, Emma and their dad."

"Yay." They were jumping up and down, obviously excited before Gabby told them to quiet down because their sister was sleeping already. After tucking them in, she went to the kitchen to get tomorrow's lunch ready. She made sandwiches for everyone and cut some fruits and vegetables before packing some juices and water and putting everything in the fridge for the next day. She then sat down with a glass of wine and chick flick to relax from her first week at work, all five days at the ER because they were short handed and needed the help. By ten, she had gone to bed as well, exhausted. The next morning, the boys were up early, excited to be going to the park.

"Calm down boys, it's only at ten o'clock." Gabby mumbled as they came running into her room.

"But mom, we're too excited." It was the first time they were really going to spend some time with kids their own age. Her mother had tried to bring them to the park to socialise with other kids but most of the kids were either in day camps or daycares so it was hard for them to find friends but Gabby knew that would change once school would start in september. She looked at her clock to see the numbers blinking an angry red colour saying it was only six.

"Mommy wants to sleep a little bit more. You can watch the cartoons on tv."

"Ok." They turned around and went to watch tv quietly. Gabby woke up a couple of hours when Valentina woke up and wanted to be taken out of her bed. She usually would come out of it on her own but sometimes, she would just be capricious and not get out until someone took her in their arms to get her down. She sat her with the boys so she could watch some cartoons with them while she fixed breakfast and the boys ate quickly before going to get changed.

"Your brothers are silly." She smiled to her daughter, who smiled back at her. Out of all the kids, she was the one who had Alberto's eyes. They finished eating between girls before they went to get ready. Gabby dressed Valentina in shorts and a cami, the weather calling for heat. The boys came back in their swim trunks and t-shirts. "Where do you guys think you're going with your swim trunks?"

"There's some water games at the park mom." Luis announced proudly. She had totally forgotten about that so she packed a bathing suit and towels for Valentina and the boys before she grabbed her phone and texted Matt with the info. **Thanks for the heads up, I'll pack those.**

It was nine thirty when they left for the park. It was only a few walking minutes away from Gabby's place so she decided they'd leave now so they could have some extra fun. It was a beautiful day and she was off. Gabby stayed with Valentina is the smaller kids park while the boys went climbing in the big kid part of it. She enjoyed watching her three kids enjoying life and that was what kept her going every day, making her push through her personnal grief. She heard girls giggling behind her and that's when she noticed two little identical girls run past her.

"Be careful." I turned around hearing Matt's voice and smiled at him.

"You made it."

"If it had been up to the girls, I would have been here at 6." He chuckled, making Valentina look up directly at him as he sat down next to Gabby. "Hi Valentina." He smiled at her but her eyes grew a size bigger and she went back to making castles in the sand.

"She's shy but don't worry, you won't be able to keep her away from you come lunch time."

"It's ok, she doesn't know me. So how was your first week?" He questionned Gabby. The original nervousness around each other was gone already and they settled in easy conversation.

"It started with a firefighter coming in with burns. The guy couldn't stay away from the fire and it just escaleted from there." She shrugged, making him laugh.

"Did you tell him what a loser he was? Fire's are dangerous, who wants to go in them to save people?"

"Brave people. How does it feel?" She pointed towards his side.

"It's a bit tender but I think it's good. I meant it when I said thanks for patching me up." Gabby was now sitting on the grass around the sandbox, her body leaning against her arms that were stretched out behind herself, keeping an eye on the kids as Matt finally had Valentina's attention and they were making castles together.

"I love my job. I never thought I'd get to practice it again." She hadn't intended on sharing too much of her personal life with him but it seemed so natural with him that it just came out.

"How come?" He didn't want to pry too much but he was curious about her.

"When I had the twins, I stayed at home to raise them until they started school and being in the Dominican Republic, I didn't feel like I needed to work. What about you? Fire fighting is a dangerous job."

"I've wanted to do that since I was little so it's all I know how to do. That and fix things, I have a construction business on the side."

"How do you manage with the girls?" Her need to know more was overwhelming the fact that they had just met a short time ago.

"I've been doing a bit less construction since they were born and when my ex left, I did only what I wanted."

"I'm sorry to hear about that."

"I've come to terms with it a long time ago. Grace and Emma are everything to me, they're all that matter." He looked up from his castle making and checked up on the girls. They were climbing the wall to the big slide with the boys, the four of them giggling like they had known each other forever.

"Your husband seems awfully busy, what does he do for a living?" She should have expected that question when he talked about his ex leaving but she wasn't quite ready to answer it. She grew increasingly quiet, her eyes looking at something in the distance. Matt sensed her change in moods and decided he had been too nosy. "I'm really sorry, it's none of my business." She answered a very quiet ok and he accepted it at face value, not pushing for more details. If she wanted to tell him about it, she would, when the time was right. He looked at his watch and realised it was time to eat. "Lunch time." He bellowed, gaining the four kids attention. Gabby was glad he had dropped the subject and placed his attention elsewhere. Everyone came at the table and the kids sat together while Matt and Gabby took the end of each bench.

"You kids having fun?" Matt asked them. Gabby was just glad they were all getting along. Everyone said yes at the same time and Gabby started taking the food out of the cooler, giving each kid a sandwich and a juice and they all settled quietly to eat.

"Wow, never thought I'd hear silence coming from these four." Gabby looked at them almost in wonder.

"You'd be surprised what food does to these two." He pointed to the girls, making her chuckle.

"Same for mine. food time is the quietest it gets." She handed Matt a sandwich and a soda before grabbings hers.

"So, do you have any family in Chicago?" Casey ventured in a safer direction, trying not to push Gabby into something she didn't want to talk about.

"My parents and my older brother Antonio with his wife and two kids all live in the city. It's good to be back."

"So you just moved here."

"About a month ago. Had a lot of things to work out but we're all settled now so it's good." He nodded, accepting his explanation. "What about you? Any family?"

"My sister Christie lives in the suburbs, she's a huge help with the girls. I'm not sure I could pull it off if it wasn't for her." Some areas of discussion were easy and others were a bit touchy, the other trying not to press any emotionals buttons.

"Family always helps." Gabby looked at her boys and pushed a strand of hair the wind had blown behind her ear.

Matt observed her a few minutes, trying to get a reading on her. Her demeanor told him that something big had happened in her life and that she wasn't quite ready to give away that information. "I know we just met but I'm a good listener. No questions asked." Gabby suddenly turned her attention back to Matt, the kids already done with their lunch and gone to play again, leaving the two adults alone again.

"I'm not ready and I know it's not very fair because our kids will be spending time together but it's too soon." They looked at each other, a mutual understanding between the two that now wasn't the time to reveal their deep dark secrets. Gabby packed the rest of the food and they went to sit on the park bench overlooking the park, all five kids having fun.

"I won't push for anything you're not ready for." He closed his hand around hers, sending a current through both their bodies.

"Thank you." She smiled at him.

They stayed that was a little bit before Matt released her hand and looked at his watch.

"Ten minutes girls." The girls gave him a pouty face, trying to buy some time. "Ok fifteen but that's it." They returned happily to play with the boys.

"Dinner plans tonight?"

"Yeah, we're heading over to my sister's house. We do it every week end when I'm not on shift. Do you have any Dawson family traditions?"

"We used to go to our parents house every sunday from brunch to dinner but we haven't been able to do it since I came back but I'm suspecting that my mom will make it happen now that I'm back and in a normal routine."

"That's good. Those are good times to spend with our family." Matt looked at his watch again.

"Time's up girls. Time to leave." They came bouncing back and the boys tagged along, bringing Valentina with them along with her toys.

"Do they really have to leave Mr Casey?" The asked.

"Sorry guys but we are having dinner at their aunt's house but tell you what. How about we walk you home before going back to get ready?" The four kids started bouncing slightly ahead of their parents, happy for the extra time they got to spend together. Valentina requested her mother's arms but Gabby claimed she was getting too heavy and the little girl looked like she was about to cry. "Do you want to have a ride on my back?" He bent down to ask her directly, giving Gabby a smile.

"Pwease."

"Alright, let's go." He easily hoisted her up on his shoulders

"You don't have to do that Matt, she's quite heavy."

"Not as heavy as our gear, I'm good." They started walking in sync towards Gabby's house that was only a few blocks away. They just enjoyed spending time together, getting to know each other and Matt made Valentina giggle every now and then by tickling her sides. Gabby pointed in the direction of an apartment complex.

"That's me." The boys went running up the stairs with the girls, sitting on the stairs to wait for their parents to catch up to them.

"This was fun, we should do it again sometimes."

"For sure." Matt put Valentina back on the ground and she took her mother's hand. "What do you say to Mr Casey?"

"Tank you." She grinned, making Matt smile.

"But next time, lunch is on me."

"Ok. Talk to you soon, bye Matt." She turned to smiled at him as she opened the buildin's door.

"Bye Gabby." The kids hugged each other and the girls went to join their father so they could get ready for dinner at their aunt's house.

* * *

 **a/n: Finally they get together with the kids and things are going well. Gabby is trying hard to take a step forward in moving on but opening up to someone who isn't family and that you've barely known isn't always easy.**

 **Next up: Gabby and Shay meet up again at Lakeshore and plan something together.**

 **I know it's the second update today but I've been in a writing mood and I got carried away so I hope you enjoyed it and that you'll leave a review so I know what you thought about it. I won't be able to update though before next week (for real this time) so thanks for the support - Sarra**


	10. Leslie Shay

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination.**

 **a/n: I want to say thank you to everyone who reviewed (or read but didn't review) as well as everyone who follows and favourites the story, it all means the same to me. I'm really happy that everyone likes this story so much and keeps supporting it.**

 **OK so I know I said I wouldn't update before next week BUT I was awake at 5:30 this morning and used the time while my kids were still asleep to write more than half of the chapter before they woke up so I hope you like it.**

* * *

The play date had gone rather well in Gabby's opinion and Matt seemed like a really great guy. She made dinner for herself and the kids, her thoughts always finding their way back to him and the connection that seemed to be developing between them. Her hand still felt the warmth that his larger one had cast on it, never pushing her to tell her story. She knew that she'd eventually have to tell him even if nothing more than friendship happened between the two, this being too big of a secret to keep. Sunday came and went and it was time to return to work on Monday morning. For the past week, the routine had been the same. She woke up, showered and changed into some work clothes before waking Valentina up and feeding the both of them while the twins still slept, her mother arriving right on time for her to leave and drop her daughter off at daycare before going in to work. Upon arrival, she went to the staff room at the ER, being assigned there until further notice and then she went on with her day. It was a rather busy day, having barely enough time to swallow a sandwich down and rest her feet a whole of five minutes before all hell broke loose. The ambulance bay was packed with case of every kind and Gabby made her way to the files to see which one needed to be done first. She was looking through them when a familiar voice caught her attention.

"Hey Gabby." The blonde paramedic was standing at the desk, writing up her report.

"Leslie Shay right?" She smiled at her, a smile which was returned by the blonde.

"Yeah. Heavy day today huh?" She looked around to all the patients there.

"Haven't seen this much traffic in the ER since I put scrubs for the first time ten years ago." Gabby chuckled.

"Listen. If you're up to it, a bunch of us from the firehouse are going to Molly's, in bucktown, tonight, maybe you can join us for a few beers?"

Gabby looked up from a file, not knowing if she should go and how much she should tell Shay. In truth, she didn't know much about her but she seemed like a nice enough girl. "I don't know." She didn't want to promise anything to anyone at this point.

"Kids and a husband waiting at home?" Shay knew all about her three kids and the rings Matt had seen on her fingers but she was trying to fish out some information from the hot laitna girl that was plaguing Matt's thoughts since they met the first time at the pier. Gabby looked at her file before looking up at her again.

"Yeah, three kids is time consuming but I wouldn't have it any other way." She smiled but Shay had seen the hesitation before her answer and she had failed to mention her husband.

"Just think about it, no pressure." Gabby looked at Shay and examined her for a moment. She was super friendly and not pushy but she seemed like the girl who would tell you things straight.

"I'll think about it. Thanks for the invite."

"Anytime. If you change your mind, come find me." Both girls smiled at each other and returned to their respective tasks. Shay finished up her report but kept stealing glances of Gabby Dawson while she did. She had extended the invite not only as a way to find out more about her but she had felt the instant connection to her that Matt had. She was easily approachable and pretty in a natural way and looked like she could be friends with her.

Gabby kept thinking about Shay's invitation as the day went from chaotic to hellish and finally took ten minutes to check up on the kids and ask her mother for the biggest favour yet but not needing that much convincing, wanting her daughter to relax a little bit from this new normal. This was a lot to take on for one person, especially a grieving one and her mother wanted to give her an evening to be just Gabrielle Dawson, the woman. Gabby thanked her again and went to finish her shift. She sat down on the bench in front of her locker at the end of her shift and now that the adrenaline was starting to die down, her legs were killing her. She drove back home, knowing that her mother had already taken the kids back home, leaving her completely alone and instantly, she went in the shower. The warm water was running down her body, giving a little bit of release to her painful muscles. She stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around her body before going into her room to search for something apropreate for tonight. She didn't want to overdress but also didn't want to look too casual so she opted for dark blue skinny jeans with a black top and black peep toe shoes. Once she was dressed, she ventured a look in her long mirror, the outfit bringing her memories of the past but she tried to move past them, wanting to enjoy this time alone. She blow dried her hair straight and decided to paint her tow nails, something she hadn't done in a long time. It was something she had done many times before but since Alberto's passing, her main priority had been her kids and she became less intuned with herself but she wanted to change that now. She used a deep shade of red and took fifteen minutes doing it, trying to keep tears at bay with more memories flooding her.

Once she was satisfied with that, she went to make herself some dinner. She did her grand mother's famous mac and cheese and her mind suddenly brought her back to Matt Casey, more specifically to the moment they shared in the parc.

 _"I know we just met but I'm a good listener. No questions asked." She could hear his voice in her mind_

Maybe some day she'd be ready to tell him her story but it was too soon and the pain too fresh in her heart. She ate a hearty plate and put the rest in the fridge for the kids dinner the following day. It was already seven and she didn't know what time Shay would be at the bar but then again she didn't exactly know where the bar was so she'd have to look it up. Once she found what she was looking for, she did her make-up and put on her shoes before grabbing her leather jacket and heading out the door. She looked at the directions as she drove towards Molly's bar. She parked where she found a spot and went in. She was looking for Shay amoung the crowd of unknown people but then she heard her voice coming from the bar. When she moved closer, she noticed that she was behind the bar.

"Hey, you made it." Shay yelled over everyone as she saw Gabby approach.

"Yeah, I needed to get out after the day we had. Didn't know you worked here."

"Actually I own here." Shay laughed candidly. "And these two are my co-owners, Christopher Herrmann and Otis." Gabby shook their extended hands.

"Welcome to Molly's Herrmann said.

"And the name's Brian, Brian Zvonecek."

"Thanks, and hi Brian." Gabby smiled at them both.

"You can call him Otis." Herrmann poked fun at him.

"Brian is better." Otis started arguying, making Gabby laugh.

"What can I get you?" Shay finally asked over her collegues banter.

"Double whiskey."

"Woah little lady, know what you're getting into?" Herrmann asked.

"I could probably teach you a thing or two about drinking Christopher Herrmann." She laughed, Otis putting the shot glass in front her. She quickly downed it, letting the brown liquid burn its way down her throat before she ordered a beer. Shay introduced the rest of 51 to Gabby as they came for drinks but she noticed that Matt hadn't shown up yet.

"If you're looking for Matt, you might not see him tonight." Gabby slightly jumped at the mention of Matt and blushed lightly.

"I'm not looking for Matt. You have a great thing going on here." She changed the subject, hoping Shay would get the hint but she would find out that Leslie Shay didn't always listen to the hints she was given.

"Yeah we do." She smiled. "Matt was trying to find a babysitter last I spoke with him but wasn't getting any luck." Gabby nodded, understanding what it was like. "But if you're really lucky, he might show."

"Ok." She couldn't hide the blush that was slowly making it's way up her face.

"So, what's the story behind Gabby Dawson?"

"Mother of three, Luis and Filippe are five and Valentina is fifteen months old." Shay just listened to her tell her story. "I recently moved back to Chicago from the Dominican Republic and started at Lakeshore last week." She took a long drag of her beer, not wanting to tell any more but once again, Leslie Shay didn't take hints.

"You and me are going for a little walk." She grabbed her coat from under the bar. "Herrmann, Otis, are you guys good here?" They both nodded in the affirmative. "Than I'm stealing my new friend and we are going for a walk." Shay walked around the bar and took Gabby by the hand. "Come on chica, let's go." Gabby stood and put her coat back on before following the blonde girl into the cooler Chicago air. They walked a little while without saying a word, their feet bringing them in a park nearby. Shay took a seat in one of the swings, Gabby removing her shoes before following her in the sand and sitting on the swing next to her. She played in the sand with her toes, looking in the distance, Shay waiting patiently next to her, giving her all the time in the world to organize her thoughts. She knew that Shay wouldn't let go until she had the truth.

"My husband passed away six months ago." She whispered in the dark, her eyes still looking at the dark horizon, not wanting to look Leslie Shay in the eyes as she said it but she had heard the gasp coming from Shay's mouth. Moments passed before either woman said anything.

"I'm sorry." Leslie whispered, not wanting to make this moment harder.

"Thanks." She simply said. "I moved back because I couldn't keep living with the memories everywhere I went. I wanted to stay where I could remember my life with him but at the same time it was killing me to stay where there was so many memories so I did what was best for my kids and for me."

"It takes a lot of courage to do what you did."

"I wasn't strong enough.

"You're stronger than you give yourself credit for sweetie." It was the first time Gabby said this out loud to anyone outside of her family but Leslie Shay's presence was something like she'd never felt before. She felt comfortable with her even if this was the first real moments she spent with her. Shay stood up and held her hand for Gabby to take. Gabby took it and let her lift her back up so she could get out of the sand and get her shoes back on and the slowly returned towards Molly's Shay wrapping her arm around Gabby's shoulder and Gabby's arm rested around Shay's waist and her head on her shoulder. Shay told Gabby her story, Gabby never flinching at the mention of her being a lesbian and by the time they made it back, they were laughing and hadn't noticed who had gotten out of his truck.

"Hey, you made it." Matt said as he saw the two girls come back from what seemed like a walk.

"I managed to get the kids babysat by my mom while on shift. I see you managed to do the same." Gabby mentioned.

"Yeah, my next door neighbour made a trade, the girls for me fixing her garage door." He chuckled. "Care to join me for a drink?"

"Sorry, I'm going to head home, I had a crazy shift but maybe next time." She smiled at him.

"Sure." He replied. He was just glad he had managed to catch a glimpse or her today.

"Thanks for tonight Shay." Gabby wrapper her arms around the blonde girl for a hug.

"Don't mention it. I'll take your number off Casey here and maybe we could do a movie night with the kids, could be fun."

"I'd love that." Gabby smiled before turning to Matt. "Good night Matt." She simply smiled at him before turning and getting in her car to drive back home, an small invisible weight lifting from her shoulders now that she had come clean to someone about her past.

"Everything ok?" He asked Shay as she watched Gabby drive away.

"Yeah. Just, take care of her, she's fragile." Shay patted him on the shoulder as he looked in the direction Gabby had disappeared around the corner.

"I know." They looked at each other, one knowing and the other in the dark but both on the same page where Gabby Dawson was concerned. He then grabbed her by the shoulder and pulled her into the pub so they could have a good evening with friends.

* * *

 **a/n: Finally Gabby tells someone about her husband. We see the girls have a quick relationship and Shay and Matt come to a quiet understanding.**

 **Here's another chapter that I hope you liked and please take a few minutes to leave a review before you leave so I know if you liked it or not. See you next week - Sarra**


	11. Alone

**disclaimer: I own nothing** **except** **me imagination and all the kids names.**

 **a/n WOW I can't believe how much love this story is getting. Everyone is amazing. Thanks to everyone who reviewed( or read but didn't review) as well as everyone who favourites and follows this story.**

 **So i asked a few of you on Twitter what this next chapter should be about and I was asked for some alone time between Matt and Gabby so i'll oblige. I'll try to keep my chapters around the same length though so you guys can get regular updates like you're used to having (i'm keeping in mind my looming return to work in two short months YAY!)**

* * *

Matt enjoyed himself at Molly's with Shay and the rest of the firehouse but his mind had been on Gabby and the last moments she was there with Shay. Since the afternoon at the park, he knew that something had happened in her past that had shook her and made her more vulnerable and even though he wished that he knew what it was, pushing her wasn't what was going to make her open up to him, or anyone else. He was pretty sure she had confided in Shay, their bond immediate and strong but he wouldn't ask Shay to break that confidence either. He wanted to let her make the first step towards him.

The next few weeks were spent the same. They both worked and on occasion, they would arrange for a play date with the kids, both happy that their children had made friends and could enjoy the end of the summer together. About a week following their last play date, they were both sitting at Molly's bar on a tuesday night, sipping on a beer.

"When are they supposed to transfer you to pediatrics?"

"No idea. Nathalie told me that I'd be in the ER as long as they needed me but not to worry too much, that I'd eventually get the position I was hired for."

"That's something I guess. And how are the kids? And your husband?" Silence fell upon them again at the mention of her husband, Matt kicking himself mentally for going there again. He had noticed that the rings she had when they first introduced themselves to each other hadn't returned to her fingers. "I'm really sorry Gabby."

"It's ok Matt, don't worry about it." She would get uncomfortable whenever her husband was mentionned and Matt could see invisible walls being put up each time only to be slightly brought down when the subject became lighter.

Matt finished the beer he had in hand before Herrmann placed another one in front of him. He took a large gulp from the new bottle and willed his hands to dry a little bit. He wanted to ask Gabby out to dinner but he wasn't sure if he should considering she was married but he hoped that they had become good enough friends that they could do that.

"I was wondering." He started but looked down at his hands wrapped around the bottle he was drinking from but Gabby brought him back to reality.

"Come on Casey, you can tell me anything." She chuckled, poking his sides as she did.

"I wanted to know if you wanted to join me for dinner next week end?" He tried to keep the nerves out of his voice. "Just as friends." He added, not wanting to make it more awkward than he was already making it by asking her. "I don't want this to be weird between us or anything." He rambled.

"It's ok Matt." She smiled, placing her hand on his to stop it from peeling off the beer's brand sticker. "I'd love that. We're friends, we should be able to go grab a bite together as friends." She knew that she was hiding the truth from him but she needed a little more time before she was ready to tell him everything.

"Great." He could breathe a little easier now that she had accepted. He figured they could walk along the pier and maybe grab some ice cream afterwards. They spent the rest of their evening having fun with the rest of the guys and called it an early night so they could relieve their babysitters, her mother and Christie respectively.

 **Next week-end (Saturday)**

"So the two of you will be staying over at aunt Christie's house while I go out with a friend."

"A girl friend?" Enquired Emma.

"As a matter of fact, yes." He smiled at her. "But she's just a friend." He figured that when he found a girl he liked, that he would put his girls first and made sure she was the right one before bringing her around but this was just two friends going to grab a bite to eat. Of course, that friend happened to be beautiful but she was taken in a way that he couldn't think of her in any other way than as a friend. Matt made sure that the girls had everything they needed before bringing them across town to his sister's house.

"Can we eat ice cream?" Grace asked just as Christie opened the door to greet them.

"Only if you eat all your dinner and that you're nice. Aunt Christie will tell me if you misbehaved."

"We'll be nice dad." Grace smiled sweetly, he knew he had nothing to worry about.

"Thanks for doing this Chris." He kissed her cheek.

"No problem little brother, you just go have fun." She smiled at him. He had told her about Gabby and the feelings that she was stirring up in him and she had listened and had been supportive even though she also knew nothing could happen between the two. Matt kissed both his girls before he went to his truck to go pick Gabby up.

* * *

Gabby had spent the better part of the week thinking about Matt and ways to tell him about her husband. Hanging out with Shay and talking more about the last year had helped her tremendously and she felt like she could finally open up a little bit more to Matt about it. She made sure to get the kids ready because Antonio was coming to pick them up so she would be ready on time. She had settled on an old pair of jeans with holes in her kneed with a black tank top and some black sandals, nothing too fancy. Matt had told her where they were going and to just dress comfortably for walking.

"Come on Luis, uncle Antonio is going to be here any minute."

"I'm coming mama." He came running in the living room, his back pack all set. He placed it next to the door just as the doorbell chimed.

"That's him." She pulled the door open. "Hey Antonio." They hugged before she released him. "Thank you so much for doing this for me, I really apreciate it."

"Anything for my little sis. So where did you meet that guy and when will I get to see him?"

"It's Matt Casey, the guy from the pier and hopefully never." She helped the boys put their back packs on their backs and handed Antonio Valentina's little suitcase. Gabby looked up as she saw some movement the other side of the door and hung her head down, Matt had arrived and Antonio wasn't gone yet.

* * *

Matt drove through the streets of Gabby's familiar neighbourhood, finally parking in front of her building. It was still light outside and he walked up the stairs. He could hear voices coming from the upper levels, from Gabby's door to be more exact. He knew her brother was coming to pick the kids up but he hadn't expected to run into him. When he made it to the landing, his eyes locked with Gabby's and she hung her head down, clearly not expecting him to come face to face with her brother.

"Hey." He said loud enough for both Gabby and Antonio to hear.

"Hey Matt, you're right on time." She smiled at him.

"I hate being late." He smiled at her.

"Mr Casey." The boys ran out of the appartment door and went in for a hug, Valentina's small legs soon following behind.

"Hey guys." He hugged them back. "So you guys are going to go have fun with your uncle?" He stood up and the boys kept their arms around Matt's waist.

"Yeah, uncle Antonio is the best." Filippe gushed.

"Antonio, I'd like you to meet Matt Casey. Matt, this is my brother Antonio." Her inner mind was begging for Antonio not to embarass her in front of Matt. Both men shook hands, Gabby not missing Antonio's extra squeeze to it.

"It's nice to meet you Antonio, Gabby's told me good things about you."

"She better." Antonio let go of Matt's hand and poked his sister.

"Antonio." She complained, obviously not in the mood for his teasing. "Just get out of my house so I can go have some dinner." Matt laughed at the siblings banter, they seemed so close.

"Fine, I'm going. Come on kids."

"Can we have some desert mom?" Both kids asked at the same time.

"Auntie Laura is the boss, you listen to her. If you ask and she says no, it's no, no arguing about it."

"What about me?" Antonio acted offended.

"You'll never be the boss in that house. Now out of mine." She pushed him outside with the kids so she could lock up behind them. They went downstairs, Matt holding the door for Gabby and the kids, Antonio taking the rear. She sat down in the passenger side and Matt made his way to his side but Antonio stopped him before he made it to the door.

"You better treat her right." He clapped a hand on his shoulder, applying a little extra pressure to make his point. He knew that Matt didn't know about Gabby's husband so he didn't elaborate but from the look in Matt's eyes, he knew she was in good hands. "You guys have a nice evening."

"Thanks." They both nodded to each other before Matt climbed in his truck, Gabby putting her head in her hands and grunting.

"I'm so sorry about my brother." She finally looked at him.

"He's a big brother, he just wants to make sure you're ok, I get it." He smiled at her. "Ready for some food?"

"Absolutely, I'm starving." They drove towards the pier, exchanging stories about the job and laughing when the story was interesting. They walked into an Italian restaurant that was rather quiet and they ordered their meals. The evening was good for exchanging parenting tips and trading toddler stories. Night had settled when they left the restaurant and they decided to take a walk down the pier.

"So Antonio, he always like that with your friends?" He chuckled, making her blush of ambarassement.

"Always. I wouldn't even be surprised if he was running your background check as we speak." She rolled her eyes and smiled.

"Tell me you're kidding."

"No, my brother works for CPD."

"I knew his face looked familiar. He helped us with a few arson cases a few months back."

"He's great at his job but he can be annoying." She walked in step with him.

"He's just trying to protect his sister. How much older is he?" Matt didn't know much about Gabby's family life and he felt it was a safe subject to tackle as they kept walking in sync.

"Ten years. My parents decided they needed to fix the mistake they made and they had me." She chuckled, making him laugh.

"I'm sure he wouldn't agree with you on that one."

"Probably not." She smiled up at him. "What about you and your sister Christie, you guys close?"

"We weren't for a few years but since I found out I'd be a dad, we built our relationship back."

"That's good. Family is important." She looked at him as they kept walking.

"Ice cream?" Clearly Matt was trying to hide something from Gabby too. It was a part of his past that even Hallie hadn't known about in all their years together.

"Yes." They walked to a little ice cream vendor and grabbed a cone each before going to sit on a bench. They talked a little bit more when Matt looked at his watch.

"Oh My God, it's so late, I should bring you back home. Your husband will probably be worried about you." Matt felt bad to have kept her here so long. It was close to eleven and they were still out, the rest of the world seemingly shut out from their little evening of fun.

"Matt, it's ok. You don't need to worry about someone being worried for me to come home." She stilled his agitated form by placing a hand on his arm, making him look at her, not making sense of what she had just said.

"I'll just take you home Gabby."

"Matt." She insisted, making him look at her again. She looked in the distance and played with the gold chain that was around her neck and what was hanging from it. It was time that Matt knew the truth. She looked at him again, his eyes still fixed on hers. "My husband passed away two months before I moved back here." There it was. The giant elephant in the room was finally out. Matt wrapped his hand around her left one that was sitting on the bench and gave it a squeeze.

"I'm sorry." He whispered.

* * *

 **a/n: It took a little longer for Gabby to finally come clean to Matt about her husband passing away but after debating with herself, she decided it was time to tell the truth.**

 **I'm trying to build something solid for the two of them to fall back on but I won't keep you waiting much longer for them to tell each other the stories of their past. Stay tuned for next chapter and please take a few minutes to leave a review so I know what you guys think about it :) - Sarra**


	12. The truth

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and the kids names.**

 **a/n: I want to thank each and everyone who left a review for last chapter (or those who read but didn't) as well as people on Twitter who give me their review directly on there (JustPinky4, Gisi151, lanterin and ZoellnerEmily). I also want to thank the people who favourite and follow the story.**

 **Now it's time for Gabby and Matt to come clean about their past so it can help them heal and move on.**

* * *

Matt and Gabby stayed silent for a few minutes before Matt felt the need to talk.

"I'm here if you want to talk about it." It wasn't the first time he was offering an ear to listen but he didn't want her to feel pressured to talk about it. Matt looked at her, trying to read where her head was at but failed. Her body was still and she was still looking at the horizon.

"I'm sorry I lied to you." She finally turned and looked at Matt, her eyes gleaming with tears.

"You have nothing to be sorry about Gabby." He assured her.

"I do. I lied to you from the moment we met at the school and that's not fair to you." I took a tiny leap of faith and pressed a thumb to her cheek, wiping the tear that was falling from her eye.

"I know what it feels like to have your heart break in tiny pieces and wonder if you'll ever feel complete again. You're heart is only trying to protect you from more pain, I get that." There was hidden meaning behind those words, Gabby just didn't know it.

"Why does it hurt so much?"

"To remind us what it feels like to be loved, to love someone so unconditionally that it hurts." Matt still felt the pain Hallie left in his heart the day she left him and the girls. "How about I take you home?" Gabby nodded, offering no objection. He helped her get up and they walked to his truck, Matt's arm drapped around her shoulder and hers around his waist, silence filling those moments. The walk to his truck was short and he held out his hand for her to take so she could lift herself up before he closed the door. Gabby kept looking out of the window, showing off a blurry Chicago, her mind reminding her of the pain her heart was feeling. Matt's hand curled around hers that was sitting on her lap, squeezing it to let her know he was there for her. He went with her up the stairs of her building to make sure that she mad it back safely but he wasn't expencting her next move.

"Do you want to come in for some coffee?" she leaned against her half open door, giving him a shy smile.

"Sure." She opened the door a little more to let him inside her appartment. "Nice place."

"Thank you." She closed the door and walked towards her kitchen to fix them some coffee, both were leaning against a different side of her counter, more silence filling the space between them. "I had a great time tonight." The silence finally getting too much for her.

"I'm glad you enjoyed it. It's always good to spend some time without the kids, helps keep your mind clear."

"Yeah. I haven't had time to do that before I moved back here." She guided him towards the living room and invited him to sit down on the couch. She was trying to keep her emotions in check, her mind not letting her be there with Matt. Matt noticed her far away look, sensing she was struggling with the fact that she told him the truth about her husband.

"I know I've said it a lot but you can talk to me." she sat against the arm of her couch, raising her legs up, resting her cup of coffee on her knees.

"I moved there when I met him." She started. It wasn't easy to talk about it and Shay had been the only one outside the Dawson family to know anything about her recent past. Matt didn't pressure her to say anything, wanting her to tell him what she was comfortable reveiling. "We were on vacation in the Domonican Republic, visiting family there when I met him and I moved there to be with him."

"It must have been hard for you to move back here with the kids." He said softly. bringing his legs up as well, wrapping his arms around them, his coffee cup long forgotten on the table next to them.

"The harder part was living with the memories. Every room in the house, every favourite shop, every date. I was slowly dying there." Tears were running down her cheeks, her thumbs franticly crushing them away.

"What you did took a lot of guts."

"I ran away Matt." The sadness turned into anger, anger at the whole situation, something she hadn't let herself feel until now. "My husband died of cancer ten months after he was diagnosed and I ran away Matt. What kind of person does that?" Matt finally moved closer to her and pulled her in his arms.

"You're not a bad person Gabby. You had three kids to think about, they needed you and you did what you had to do." He felt her body start to shake against his, all her built up emotion spilling out. She needed to let herself feel and grieve like she hadn't let herself do for the sake of her kids. He held her until her shaking subsided. He pulled her with him so they were lying down, Gabby safely tucked into him, facing him. There was nothing sexual or intimate in the gesture, only friends having each other's backs. "And your family has your back." He moved a strand of hair away from her eyes.

"I don't know what I would have done without them. Antonio gave me a place to stay until I could find my own, I'll never be grateful enough for that."

"And from what I saw, he'd do it all over again."

"I know. He was always protective of me."

"I'm glad he is." Their voices were soft and low. "Tell me about your husband." It wasn't a request meant to make her uncomfortable or recoil, he just wanted her to let her feelings out.

"His name was Alberto, Alberto Ramirez." She started. Everything made so much more sense to him now. "He owned his own construction business there, even before we met. We bought a house about six months after meeting for the first time."

"How did your family feel about it? Did they think you were moving too fast?"

"Antonio thought I was out of my mind." She chuckled lightly, the vibrations sending tingles through his own body.

"And were you?"

"I don't think so. He was kind to everyone and loving. When I told him I was pregnant the first time, I had never seen him more happy. And when I gave birth to the twins, it was the first time I saw him crying."

"I know the feeling. When the girls were born, it was like life suddenly had a real purpose, they were perfect."

"The long hours of labour were worth it."

"And what about Valentina? She must have been a little daddy's girl." He could imagine the little girl bouncing around in the house, her dad wrapped around her little finger.

"He always said that he wanted to have a little girl that looked like her mother. He would always say that we would be in trouble once she had grown older and that boys would start chasing after her. I just didn't imagine it would all be taken away so quickly." She was playing with invisible lint on Matt's shirt.

"When? What?" Matt really didn't know how to ask his next question, his speech was a little bit stuttered.

"When Valentina was about five months old, he complained of pain in the abdomen and we took him to the hospital and they did some tests. It was lung cancer and it had metastasised, they gave him a year to live."

"I can't even imagine what that was like. How did you tell the kids?"

"We told them that daddy was really sick. We tried to prepare them as much as we could but they were small, I don't know how much they remember."

"Kids are tough."

"More than I am." She whispered.

"You are tough Gabriella Dawson. Don't ever doubt that."

"And what about you? What happened to your ex?" She looked up in his eyes, looking to take the conversation away from herself a little bit.

"It's not important, it seems so stupid compared." He started but she stopped him.

"It's not stupid. We all face different obstacles but neither one is stupid more than the other."

"Her name was Hallie Thomas. She was a resident at Lakeshore when we met and I asked her to marry me after a year. Things were going really well and we were even planning the wedding when she came home one evening after her shift, tears streaming down her cheeks."

"What happened?"

"We hadn't talked about kids yet. She was pregnant and had just found out. The pregnancy came with it's normal complications: Nausea,vomitting and mood swings. She had an easy delivery, only took four hours and the girls were born."

"How did it feel?"

"I had never felt anything quite like it. They were so beautiful and they needed to be protected. I never felt so complete right then, when they were placed in my arms. I had everything I ever wanted, a family."

"What happened?" This was the question that made Matt relive all the pain that had come with the blessing of having his twin daughters.

"She suffered from post partum depression. We had never talked about kids before we found out she was pregnant but she wasn't sure if she ever wanted kids. She put on a happy face for me because she knew I was over the moon with the news."

"I'm sorry." She said sincerely

"Thanks. One day, I came home from shift and the babysitter was there. The only time we had a babysitter was when we went out together so it was unsettling to see her there."

"And where was Hallie?" The words were out her mouth faster than she could try to stop them.

"She was gone. She left with a note explaining everything. She moved closer to her parents and a few weeks later, I was recieving papers saying I had sole custody of the girls. From that day on, my number one priority was protecting them and making sure I was the best parents I could be to them. A lot of people help me, it makes all the difference in the world."

"That it does."

They stayed like that, talking, for what seemed like hours before they drifted off to sleep in each other's arms, the truth finally out in the open.

* * *

 **a/n: So the truth is finally out for the two of them. What will this mean for the two single parents now? Stay tuned to find out.**

 **Ok so I'm not quite sure how this chapter turned out. I knew how I wanted Gabby to tell her story since we knew the reason why she was widowed but for Matt, it took a long time before I decided on the reason WHY Hallie left him. For the record, I know NOTHING about post partum depression (not having gone through it myself after both my kids) so I hope it didn't sound cheap. Please take a few minutes to leave a review because I'm really anxious to know what you guys think of it since I'm not sure about it myself - Sarra :)**


	13. What comes next

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and the kids names.**

 **a/n: Thanks you so much to everyone who left a review (or read but didn't) as well as everyone who did via Twitter (you guys know who you are :)). Thanks to everyone who favourited and followed the story after last chapter, it means a lot to me too. I'm really happy that everyone is loving this story because I love writing it too. Last chapter, we saw Gabby and Matt fall asleep on her couch after telling each other the truth, even if it was hard for them but hopefully, it'll help them get in a better place. So enjoy the morning after.**

* * *

Matt stirred from sleep with the first rays of sun the next morning, slightly confused. He wasn't in his house and he was still in last night's clothes but then, the person next to him mumbled and it all came back to him. He looked down to see Gabby still wrapped securely in his arms. Both her arms were against his chest, the touch instantly setting his insides on fire. Their legs were tangled up together and his right arm was wrapped around her waist, keeping her close to him. He looked at her sleeping form, studying her. Gabby finally told him what had happened in her past and all he could think of is how incredibly strong the woman in his arms was. She had put on a brave front for her family and had done what needed to be done, in the process burying her grief deep under but last night, she had finally let all the emotions take her over and had without a doubt lost an additional weight that she had on her shoulders and in her heart. He noticed her cheeks were slightly still stained from the tears that had fallen there and he hoped that those would be changed for something more happy from now on.

Gabby stirred awake, feeling as disoriented as Matt had been. She could feel extra weight on her waist and her hands were in contact with something hard, someone's torso to be more precise. She let her eyes flutter open and get used to the light before looking up and meeting a pair of blue ones who were looking down on her.

"Morning." She mumbled.

"Morning sleepyhead, how did you sleep?" He smiled, making her smile too. It had been a while since she had felt good sleeping in someone's arms.

"Surprisingly well." He gently removed the strand of hair that just fell in Gabby's eyes and placed it behind her ears, making her insides swell with something she hadn't felt in a long time, peace. She'd be lying to herself though if her body wasn't attracted to Matt. He was tall enough that he towered over her but not to tall for it to look strange. His crystal blue eyes held a sincerity that would make her heart skip a beat and his lips, that were now at eye level, were plump and just made her want to kiss them to know how they would feel like against hers but she tried to shake that feeling. "You?"

"Great, your couch is comfy and the company isn't bad." He grinned, helping her in no way with her want to kiss him.

"Company isn't all that great, she was a mess half of the night." She talked about herself.

"You're not a mess I promise." His hand that was resting on her waist was burning her skin, making heat radiate through her body. Matt Casey was doing things to her and she didn't while her mind was yelling at her that it was too fast, her heart wanted to be happy again. She closed her eyes, trying to make sense of her thoughts but feeling Matt's legs tangled with hers and his arms wrapped around her was doing nothing to help.

Matt didn't want to do anything to pressure her but having her in his arms like that felt real, it felt normal. His logic told him that it wasn't normal to feel like this about someone this quickly and that she had things to work through before things escalated but his heart was longing to let someone in. Her eyes were closed and her breathing even but her heart was pounding in her chest, he was close enough to feel it. He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. Her body's first reaction was to stiffen up but it only lasted a second before she kissed him back. It was soft and lasted only a few seconds but it was enough for the both of them to feel like teenagers.

"Could I interest you with some breakfast?" Her voice was soft, not wanting to ruin the moment.

"Only if you let me cook." They had stayed tangled like that since waking up, feeling good together.

"I couldn't let you do that." She insisted. "I was a mess last night and you listened and I stopped you from sleeping in your bed. The least I can do is be the one to cook."

"Stop it. go take a relaxing shower and change, I'll have breakfast ready when you come out."

"Ok." She finally agreed. The pantry is next to the fridge." She untangled herself from Matt and stood from the couch, instantly missing his body before heading to her room to shower.

Matt turned on his back and ran his hands over his face. This was crazy, they were moving quickly but at the same time, his mind kept reminding him that they had become friends and that they knew things about each other and that he didn't have to rush into things, he could take things slow. He finally got up from the couch and went to the kitchen to find what he needed to make them some french toast.

Gabby walked into her bathroom and grabbed a new set of close before walking into her shower, letting the warm water run down her body. All she could do was think about the kiss she and Matt had shared. It wasn't anything steamy and urgent, only sweet and his lips were soft and felt great against hers. It had been a long time since a kiss had had this much of an effect on her, it had been five years to be exact. She quickly washed up and changed into boyfriend jeans and a loose fitting sweater and put her hair in a messy bun. She walked out of her room and her nostrils were filled with an aroma of cinnamon.

"That smells amazing, what are we having?"

"French toast. Have a seat, it's ready." Matt placed a plate in front of her as well as a cup of coffee as she sat down and he prepared himself a plate as well.

"Those are amazing. Where did you learn that?"

"My mom, when I was younger." He didn't want to talk about his mom but those were happy memories so he just didn't want to make a big deal out of it.

"I might have to steal that recipe." She giggled, taking a sip of her coffee.

"Only if you agree to go out on a date with me." He smiled at her, seeing if she was as interested as he was to pursue something more.

"I'd love to." She simply said, putting a piece of bread in her mouth. They kept eating, sharing occasional words to each other before Matt looked at the clock on the wall in front of him.

"Is it really almost eleven?" Gabby looked at the stove behind Matt, nodding her head to let him know it was correct. He fished in his pocket to find him phone and a message from Christie. **Meet us for lunch at my place?** He quickly answered before putting the phone back in his pocket and eating what was left in his plate. Gabby picked the table up and put everything in the dish washer. "Let me help you with the dishes."

"It's all good, the dish washer will take care of that."

"Are you sure? Because I feel like I'm dining and dashing." He chuckled.

"I'm sure." She smiled at him before they made it to her door. "Plus, Antonio will probably be here soon and you do not want THAT interrogation." She laughed this time.

"Probably not." He laughed too. It would not be a comfortable situation for sure. "So are you still up for that date?" He turned around as he put his coat back on.

"Absolutely. I'll text you what my week looks like and we go from there?" She asked hopefully.

"That's good. Say hi to the kids for me."

"The same to the girls." Matt nodded but he wasn't sure if he should kiss her lips again so he placed a hand on her cheek and kissed the opposite one before smiling at her and leaving.

This was a first step for the both of them and an extra opportunity to know more about the other as they decide what comes next.

* * *

 **Gabby accepts to go out with Matt on a date as they both agree to do things slow and right, each having their own fears if things don't go well as much as wanting to let their heart feel again.**

 **I know this chapter is a little bit shorter than my others are but I didn't want to mix anyone else in there, wanting them to have their moment and feeling something for the first time since both losing someone dear to them. I really hope you liked it and please leave a review to tell me what you thought about it. Until next time - Sarra**


	14. Afterthought

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and the kids names.**

 **a/n: Ok so I'll keep this SHORT. Thank you to everyone who is supporting this story, it means the world to me. Since last chapter was a little bit short, I'll try making this one a little bit longer, hope you enjoy it.**

* * *

Matt stopped by his house to change before heading out to his sister's place. She would know right away that he was still in last night's clothes and that something had happened with Gabby and he wasn't ready to share it with anybody just yet. As soon as he parked, he walked up the stairs to her house and knocked before letting himself in like he always did. As soon as the door clicked in its place, he was attacked by two little monsters and a pre-teen.

"Uncle Matt." Violet hugged him.

"Hey Violet." He chuckled, he was rooted in his spot because Violet had her arms wrapped around his waist and the twins around one leg each.

"Daddy, can we go to the parc with Violet and aunt Christie after lunch?" Emma begged.

"Hi daddy, how are you?" He asked her first before answering. Matt had missed his girls last night even though he had a great evening with Gabby. The girls giggled at his question and Grace spoke first.

"Hi daddy, how are you? Can we go to the park with Violet and aunt Christie after lunch?" She grinned up at him, making him chuckle.

"Sure, why not." All three girls let go of him so he could walk farther inside the house.

"Took you long enough to come in." Christie teased him.

"I was under attack when I walked in. Thanks again for last night Chris." He kissed her cheek and she smiled at him. She was standing at her kitchen counter, preparing lunch.

"Not a problem, I like having them here." The truth was, every since her divorce with Jim had gone through and all the drama that had surrounded that, she was happy to have her nieces around more. "We good for the park after lunch?"

"Absolutely, I have nothing planned for the day and I miss you guys." He rested him arms against the counter and stole some cold cut meat from the package Christie was using, earning him a slap on the hand.

"Hands off if you want to eat Matt." They both laughed, it was so like Christie to do that.

"Need some help with anything?"

"We're good." Matt turned around and the table was already set. "So how was dinner last night?"

"It was fun."

"And you're not going to give me any kind of spoilers?"

"We went to that Italian restaurant at the pier and we had some ice cream, nothing fancy or anything."

"Nice. Come on, let's eat so we can bring these little monsters to the park." She took the sandwiches to the table and the kids came running and sat down to eat quietly, not wanting to waste any time before going to the park. Once everything was picked up and put away, the girls put their shoes on with Violet's help and they walked the short distance to the park that was close to Christie's house.

They both sat next to each other, a comfortable silence settling between them as they watched the kids play. Matt's mind kept going back to last night and this morning. Gabby's hands on his chest this morning had brought a new onset of feelings for her, something he wasn't sure was ok since she had just confessed what happen to her in the last months. They had stayed tangled together while they talked, a sign she had been comfortable with him too but he didn't know what to make of that. Was she clinging to someone to prevent from despair? No. She looked more at peace this morning now that everything was out of the open. And she had kissed him back. Her lips were soft and round and kissing them had been perfect.

"Matt? Matt?" Christie called him twice, he hadn't heard her the first time.

"Huh, yeah?" He looked at her.

"Where were you just now?"

"With Gabby." He looked down at the ground sheepishly.

"What happened last night Matt?"

"I stayed the night at her place." He put his head in his hands.

"You did WHAT? Are you out of your mind Matt? What about her husband?"

"Look Chris, I'm not ready to share anything with you but we talked last night and it's ok. We're not transgressing anything and there's no cheating. I asked her out on a date this morning while we had breakfast." He looked into his sister's eyes and smiled at her.

"Ok, I believe you. I just don't want you to have a broken heart, you deserve to be happy." She pulled him in for a hug.

"I am happy." He wrapped her arms around her waist and they stayed like that until Emma came running.

"Daddy, daddy, come quickly." Matt heard the panic in his little girl's voice.

"What's wrong Emma?"

"Grace fell off the monkey bars." She pointed in her sister's direction and both Matt and Christie got off the bench quickly to go tend to her.

"Grace, sweetie, where does it hurt." Matt asked her.

"I think I'm ok daddy." She sat up slowly but didn't seem in any kind of pain.

"Are you sure you're not hurting anywhere?" He looked her over, wanting to make sure.

"Yes daddy." She got up with his help and moved her hands and feet at her father's request.

"You'd tell me if it hurt anywhere right Gracie?" Emma was wrapped in Christie's arms, a worried look on her face.

"I promise daddy I'm ok."

"Ok I believe you but you tell me right away if something starts to hurt?"

She nodded affirmatively, Emma getting out of Christie's arms and hugging her twin. "I'm glad you're ok."

"Alright, that's enough parc for today. Let's go home." No one argued over it, the twins would be good for a little rest after this. Matt took Grace in his arms just in case and they walked back to Christie's to grab their things before heading home. Once there, Matt put them to bed and watched them ever so often as they slept, just to be safe on the concussion front.

* * *

After Matt left her place, Gabby picked the dirty dishes up and put everything away because she didn't want Antonio badgering her with questions if he found out Matt had spent the night. She was washing the dishes, her mind going back to the feeling Matt's lips on hers had this morning. The kiss hadn't lastest long but it had been perfect. His lips were soft and it wasn't a heated kiss, just someone telling the other that they cared about them. The only problem was the feeling it had left inside of her. Heat was radiating through her body as his lips pressed to hers and with his hand gently sitting on her waist, it made her feel like a teenager with a crush but this wasn't a crush. Matt hadn't pressured her into anything and when he asked her on a real date at breakfast, it felt right. She was quickly brought back to reality with the front door opening and closing and what felt like a stampede running through the place.

"I come bearing food." Antonio called out.

"Perfect timing, I'm hungry." She smiled at them as she picked up her daughter in her arms and the boys hugged her waist. The kids helped to set the table and the Dawson's sat down for some lunch together.

"So how was your date last night?" He asked once the kids had gone in the living room to play.

"It went great, thanks." She smiled at him. She wasn't about to spill what happened.

"That's all you're going to give me?"

"Uh yeah. I don't need you looking through his past for anything that would make you go all Antonio Dawson on him." He simply ran a hand on his neck and looked at her with a guilty look. "Oh come on Tonio, are you kidding me?"

"I'm just looking out for my little sister. I don't want you getting hurt again."

"And are you satisfied with what you found?" She knew he would do that but she was less than impressed with her brother.

"Mostly yes." Antonio had found out something that had happened with Matt fifteen years ago but he didn't want to be the one to tell her.

"Mostly yes? What does that even mean?"

"It means that Matt is a stand up guy but something happened a long time ago and I'm not the one who should be telling you this." Gabby felt a little bit exasperated with her brother at this point.

"I told him the truth last night Antonio."

"Are you ok?" His first concern was for his sister.

"It felt good actually. It felt like a weight has been taken off in my heart."

"I'm happy for you Gabby, you know that. I just want you to be happy again." He took her hand in his and kissed it.

"For the first time in the last few months, I feel better, I feel more like myself again."

"I'm glad to hear that sis, you have no idea." Both sibblings spent the rest of the afternoon together having fun with her kids, another sign that things were starting to get back to normal for Gabby

* * *

The girls woke up from their naps and played in the living room while Matt fixed dinner. Grace was a little more sluggish but he just put it on the fact that she had just woken up and that she had taken that spill at the parc but when dinner time came, he became increasingly worried. Both girls had good appetites but Grace was playing around with her food more than she was eating it.

"Are you ok Grace?"

"I feel tired daddy." Matt instinctively put his hand on her forehead, feeling it warmer than he would like. He got up and went to retrieve the medication box and took her temperature, she wasn't doing any but it was borderline. He gave her a dose of medicine and they finished dinner before Matt put them in the tub to wash them, hoping it would help Grace too. He washed their hair and then they washed their bodies before getting out and putting on some pyjama's and louging on the couch with some ice cream and a movie. Grace didn't feel better so he took her temperature again and gave her en extra dose of medicine before he tucked them in bed. Once he knew they were sleeping, he leaned against the doorframe to their room and just watched them sleep for a little while.

He hated seeing his daughters sick in any way because it broke his heart. Grace's fever had been a bit higher than the first time he had taken it and he hoped that the children's ibuprofen would do it's job during the night. Once he was satisfied with the girls sleeping for, he went back to the living room with his coffee and turned on the tv to sports news. The house was mostly quiet for the next couple of hours except for the sound of the television, Matt listening for any strange sounds coming from the girl's room on the higher level but it remained quiet. Matt was falling asleep on the couch when he heard it.

"Daddy, Daddy." It was Emma. Matt put raised to his feet in a matter of seconds and ran up the stairs.

"Sweetie, what's wrong?"

"It's Grace." She didn't need to say more. He looked towards Grace's bed and she was leaning against the side of her bed, emptying the contents of her stomach on the floor. He went quickly to the bathroom to get a wet wash cloth before he returned to his girls, helping her wipe her mouth and touching her forehead, it was extra moist. The girls were rarely sick but they never were that much. He took his phone out of his pocket and dialled a number he had to use only once in his life and it was a long time ago.

"I need an ambulance at 1216 Anderson street."

* * *

 **Runs and hides. Yikes! Let's hope Grace is ok.**

 **Matt and Gabby can't seem to stop thinking about each other and although they feel good about it and share a little bit with their siblings, they don't want to jump into it too quickly.**

 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter and please leave a review before leaving :) - Sarra**


	15. Hospitals and Warnings

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and the kids names. This next chapter is Justicerocks11 original idea and it tied in super well in the storyline so I'll be rolling with it.**

 **a/n: Thank you so much to everyone who is showing love to this story, it makes me want to write for it all the time hihi. I know it was super mean of me to finish the last chapter the way I did but it was for a pecific purpose so enjoy this next chapter.**

* * *

The ambulance ride was the longest that Matt had been on in his life. The paramedics were putting grace on an IV and Emma was sitting on his lap, her arms around his neck, sobbing in his neck. He was rubbing soothing motions on her back, doing everything to calm his own raging nerves. His girls were everything to him and the thought of losing him wasn't something he liked to think about very often. His eyes stayed on the monitor, looking at Emma's vitals that were nowhere neer what he knew they should be at. The ambulance suddenly came to a stop and they got out, they had arrived at Lakeshore. The medics took the gurney with Grace on it out and Matt held onto Emma as he walked quickly behind them but being stopped as she was brought through the E.R. He picked up his phone and informed Christie what had happened and left a message to Severide and Boden before he quickly returned to the nurse's desk to find out what was going on.

"They just brought my daughter in, Grace Evelyn Casey. I wanted to know what was happening." He balanced Emma on his other hip.

"Just let me look." She pressed some keys on her keyboard before answering him. "The doctor is with her right now, he'll probably be out in a few minutes to come see you."

"Thank you." He drummed his fingers against the counter and returned to the waiting room where his sister came through the door.

"Hey, how's Grace?"

"I'm still waiting on the doctor. Where's Violet?"

"The neighbour is staying at home while she's sleeping. I didn't want to wake her up."

"Thanks for being here Chris."

"Anytime." The doctor came out right then and Chris took Emma from him so he could give him his whole attention.

"Are you Grace Casey's dad?"

"Yes sir, how is she?"

"We gave her some broad spectrum antibiotics to help with the fever but we need to get her in for a scan, the medics told me she fell this afternoon."

"Yes, from the monkey bars. She said she was fine but she started feeling warm a bit before dinner and she was sluggish."

"It says you gave her some children's ibuprofen."

"Yes, the dose it says for her size. Is she going to be ok?"

"We're not sure yet but we'll know more after the scan. I just need you to sign here for conscent."

"Do everything you have to." He took the clipboard that was given to him and signed at the bottom. "Can I go see her?"

"Of course but she'll still be a little bit sluggish because of what we're giving her."

"Ok thank you." Matt followed the doc to where Grace was, Christie following behind with Emma still in her arms. When he laid eyes on Grace, his eyes welled up with tears. She looked so small in the hospital bed and she had two different IV drips in her arm, each one doing something to make his Grace better.

"It hurts daddy." Grace goraned from her bed, waking Emma in the process.

"Are you ok Grace?" She mumbled from Christie's shoulder.

"My head and my neck hurt daddy." She ignored Emma's question, the pounding in her head too strong. "And the lights are too bright."

"Ok sweetie, I'll go get the nurse." Matt went to the nurse's station and told her what Grace had told him and he came back a few minutes later with her.

She lowered the lights in the small room they were in and checked Grace's vitals, giving her something for her headache. "We are going to go for a scan and we are going to move you up to the peridatric unit and get you situated there." She was talking more to Matt than to Grace but that didn't really easy his worries. Christie offered to bring Emma home for the night, something Matt apreciated and she promised to bring her tomorrow to see her twin in the morning. It gave him one less reason not to worry and right now, they didn't know anything so there was no reason to have a grouchy Emma later.

A few minutes after, Grace left for the scan with Matt at her side. It didnt take very long for the images to be taken before she was taken two levels higher in pediatrics. The lights were dimmed once again and the nurse took some blood so they could figure out what was wrong with her. She had fallen fast asleep by the time the doctor came back with some news.

"So what is wrong with her?" Matt stayed in his chair, his hand holding onto Grace's.

"She has a mild concussion from the fall and the nurse told me that Grace felt sentitive to light and had a head ache and pain in her neck."

"Yes. She complained about that before we went for the scan. Does that tell you any thing more?"

"I think it might be viral meningitis but we need to do a lumbar puncture first to confirm it."

"Meningitis? Isn't that dangerous?"

"Yes but if it is, we've caught it early and she will be treated quickly. I'll ask for the test to be done first thing in the morning so we can be sure quickly."

"Thank you doc." The doc nodded and left the father with his daughter to get a little bit of rest. The first rays of sun woke Matt up but he went to close the blinds so Grace wouldn't feel any extra pain when she finally woke up. He took a set in his chair again and leaned his forehead against the bed, praying that everything would be ok.

* * *

Gabby walked into Lakeshore and went directly to the E.R, ready for her shift. She put her coat in the locker and put her stethoscope around her neck before heading to the nurse's station to look over her patients but Ingrid, the E.R. head nurse was waiting for her.

"Good morning Gabby." She smiled at her.

"Good morning Ingrid." Ingrid wasn't on the floor every morning so it was strange for her to be there this morning.

"I am officially springing you from the E.R. They are expecting you in pediatrics this morning.

"Oh ok. I'll head up there right now then. Thank you for letting me work here, it helps get back in the groove of things." She smiled at the woman.

"I'm happy to hear that. If I need you again, I know where to find you."

"Perfect, thanks again." They smiled at each other one more time before Gabby made her way to the stairs and up to the second floor to report to Nathalie. Nathalie greeted her with a smile.

"Finally I have you on a permanant basis. Ready to work?"

"Absolutely." Nathalie handed her four files and let her look through them. The first one she looked through was a four year old little boy with the measles. The second one was a little girl of eight with an ear infection that required surgerie to put some tubes in. The third one was another girl of eight that was in to get her tonsils removed and the fourth one was a kid with diarrhea but that wasn't what caught her eye. The file that was on the desk was opened and Gabby could see the name. Grace Evelyn Casey.

"Oh my god." Slipped from Gabby's lips, her stomach suddenly dropping. "In what room is this patient in?"

"212. Do you know her?"

"Yes." She put her files on the desk, protocole out the window and she went in search of the room number. She found it rather quickly and knocked before going in. "Matt." She said quietly, Grace still sleeping.

Matt turned around and locked eyes with Gabby. "Hey."

"How is she?" She walked farther into the room, placing a hand on his shoulder as he looked back in Grace's direction.

"She has a small concussion from the monkey bars but they think she has meningitis." A gasp escaped Gabby's lips and her hand flew to her mouth.

"Are they sure?"

"No. They have to do a lumbar puncture to confirm it this morning. Are you the one taking care of her?" He looked back up at her.

"No, Jess is but she'll take great care of her." He nodded but all he wanted right now was for his daughter to be ok.

"I have to go check out my patients but I'll be back a little bit later to check up on you guys.

"Thanks Gabs." He put his hand on hers that was on his shoulder and she turned hers to squeeze his.

"Anytime." Gabby slowly turned around and made it back to the nurse's station and sat down to go through her patient files properly. Once she was done, Jess came back from seeing her patients. "Do you have a time for Grace Casey's LP?'

"It says here 9:30."

"Perfect. That break time for me, thanks." Gabby got up and moved around the floor to go see her four little patients and give them their morning care. When she returned to the station, Emma walked on the floor hand in hand with a woman she could only assume was Christie.

"Hi. Can you tell me in what room Grace Casey is in?"

"Ms Dawson." Emma called out to Gabby.

"Hi sweetie." She smiled at her over the station.

"Is my sister going to be ok?" She asked.

"We're taking the best care of her right now. Come on, let's go see her." She walked around the station and offered the little girl her hand, which she took.

"You must be Gabby Dawson." Christie offered her a smile.

"Christie right? Matt's sister?" Chris nodded, they didn't need to discuss this right now. They stopped in front of Grace's room and Gabby grabbed a mask before she kneeled down in front of Emma. "Your sister is probably still sleeping but you are going to see her with some tubes in her arms so I don't want you to be scared ok?"

Emma nodded, trying to stay strong for her sister. "Ok."

"We have to run some tests on her this morning but since we don't know what she has yet and that it could be dangerous for you, I need you to put this mask on." She showed Emma the mickey mouse mask that she had been holding. "All you need to do is put it over your nose like this." She put the mask in front of her properly. "And pinch your nose." Gabby let Emma do it before she looped the elastics around her ears. "You're all set. You can go and see your sister and daddy." The little girl nodded and walked into the room, immediately being hugged by her father.

"Do I need to put one?" Christie asked, her eyes glued to her brother and her nieces.

"No, you're good. It might be meningitis and we just want to take precautions with kids. You can go in too, there's no visitor limit."

"My brother hasn't told me everything but I'm glad he has you in his life. Just, his heart is fragile, please take care of it."

"I know a little something about a fragile heart, I won't hurt his." Gabby smiled at Christie and let her go in to join her brother so they could be together as a family. She looked into the room a few more minutes, thinking about what Christie had said. They both had some bad happen in their past and maybe each other is what they needed to get past all of it. Gabby made one last round before it was time for her break, giving her report to Jess in case something happened while she was gone. She walked to Grace's room as the same time as the porter to take her to her LP.

"Can you stay with me daddy while they do the test?" Grace was still weak and her voice was low.

"I'm sorry sweetie I can't. I need you to be a big girl and be brave ok?" He knew that he couldn't be present during proceedures and hoped his little girl would be brave.

"Would you like it if I was there Grace?" Gabby asked from the door and the little girl nodded and cracked a faint smile. "Ok so say bye to daddy, aunt Christie and Emma and we'll be back before you even know it." The porter attached the IV bags to bed pole and after a hug from everyone, they were on their way, Gabby holding Grace's hand as they went.

They were wheeled into a rather big room and a doctor was waiting for them. "I'm doctor Walker and we're going to try to find out what is wrong with you so we make you all better ok?" He smiled at the little girl and rubbed her forehead.

"Ok." She mumbled, too weak to talk a lot.

"I need you to turn on ur side and bring your knees up closer to your chest. Can you do that for me Grace?" Gabby helped her position herself properly. "Are you her nurse?" He questionned Gabby this time.

"No but I work in peds and I'm a friend of the family. I'm Gabby Dawson"

"Alright. Now Grace, I have to put a needle in your back so I need you to breathe through your nose and exhale out of your mouth. Can you do that?" She only nodded and took Gabby's hand.

"You can squeeze my hand as hard as you can if it hurts ok sweetie?"

"Ok."

"That's perfect. On three. One, two, three." Grace had her eyes squeezed shut and held onto Gabby with both her hands as the needle pierced her flesh but she never cried of or complained and Gabby didn't feel pressure on her hand what so ever.

"Does it hurt Grace?"

"No." She finally opened her eyes and her blue eyes locked with her brown.

"You're doing great Grace we're almost done." Dr Walker smiled at Gabby, a silent signal things were going good and he was almost done. "Here you go Grace, it's all over." He patted her shoulder. "Now she'll need to stay on your back for a few hours and I'll come by with the results as soon as I get them." He gave his instructions to Gabby as the porter helped her get back on a flat on her back position and he wheeled her back to her room.

"You did great Grace, daddy will be so proud of you."

"Am I going to be ok?"

"As soon as we're sure what you have, we'll make you all better I promise." Grace smiled at her as they were brought back to her room.

"How did it go?" Matt asked, taking a seat at the edge of her bed and hovering over her with a smile.

"She did it like a champ." Gabby smiled at her. "Dr Walker said he'd come by once he has the results. I'll come back when he does."

"Thanks you Gabby." They both smiled at each other, Matt happy to have her support.

"Anytime. I'll see you all later. Great job Grace." she leaned down and kissed her forehead before leaving.

* * *

Matt was more than grateful to have Gabby's support. When Grace had been wheeled into the E.R. the previous night, his heart was pumping a mile a minute and he was terrified. It had nothing to do with the adrenaline he felt running into burning buildings. One of the two most important people in his entire world was sick and he didn't know what she had and when the doctor had suggested meningitis later in the night, his worry became ten fold. Having Gabby here to keep an eye on them made his raging heart calm down a little bit. She wasn't Grace's attending nurse but just the fact that she came to check how they were doing was a really nice gesture.

Emma was sitting on the side of Grace's bed, Matt not wanting her too close just in case because he didn't want to have the two of them in the hospital as patients, he didn't think his heart could handle that.

"Do you want anything to eat Matt?" Christie rubbed his shoulder.

"If you can find me some coffee that would be great."

"Come in kiddo, let's go find something for daddy to eat." Emma jumped off the bed, happy to go with her aunt. Christie came back with come coffee and a breakfast sandwich and Matt ate a few bites even though he wasn't hungry, knowing both Chris or Gabby would be on his case if he didn't. About an hour later, a doctor came in with Jess and Gabby behind him.

"You have a brave little girl Mr. Casey. She didn't flinch once while doing the test." Matt smiled proudly at his daughter.

"Thank you."

"Unfortunately, the meningitis diagnosis was confirmed with the LP so we have to keep Grace in the hospital for a little while longer. Jessica is replacing the broad spectrum antibiotics by corticosteroids and we'll keep her regular IV drip to keep her hydrated. She can eat what she can at meal time but don't force her if she doesn't eat everything."

"And how long exactly does she need to stay here?"

"Maybe a week or two. We'll keep a close eye on her but she should be better in no time."

"And is it contagious for Emma?"

"If she keeps a mask, she can make short visits with her sister, it'll help her too." He smiled at Matt, knowing just how scared he was right now.

"Thanks doc." At least now they were set as to what was wrong with her.

"I'll be back later tonight to see how she's doing." He wrote something down on her chart and placed it back at the foot of the bed before walking out.

"Here you go Grace." Jess smiled at her patient. "This should make you all better." She smiled at Gabby before leaving.

"Did you tell daddy that you didn't cry during the test?" Gabby winked at Matt and smiled, his heart skiping a beat as she did.

"She did. And she said it didn't hurt too."

"Tell you what? When my shift is done, I'll find you some ice cream since you were so brave, how does that sound?"

"Fun."

"Alright, see you later kiddo." Gabby returned to her work and soon enough, her work day had come to an end and she was back with ice cream, two bowls of them.

"Two bowls, you're lucky kid." Matt teased Grace.

"Hold on daddy. One is for Grace and one is for Emma." Gabby chuckled. "Emma has been brave too. It's not easy seeing your sister sick." Gabby winked at Emma, making her giggle, Grace smiling in her bed before Gabby each gave them a bowl.

Once they were done, Christie left with Emma to pick up Violet and Emma would spend the night there again. Grace had fallen asleep again and Matt leaned back into his chair.

"How is she feeling?" Gabby's voice startled him a little bit.

"A little better, she was a little more alert. Thank you for being here Gabby, you didn't have to."

"When I saw her name on that chart, I panicked." She stood next to him and placed a hand at the base of his neck, her fingers playing with his hair. He instinctively wrapped his left arm around her waist and leaned into her.

"Emma screamed out to me last night. I was in the living room while they were sleeping. I should have brought her in sooner. She looked so miserable after dinner."

"Don't do this Matt. You did great and you brought her as soon as you thought something was really wrong. We caught it early, she'll be ok." Gabby soothed him, his eyes closing at the contact of her hand on his neck. "You should head home, take a shower and bring Grace some of her things so she can be as comfortable as possible."

"I can't leave her side Gabby."

"I'll stay with her while you go."

"I can't ask you to do that Gabby, you have a family to take care of too."

"It's ok. They're at my parent's house, I was going to grab dinner with them anyways. My mom knows I'm staying, it's fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Now go while she's asleep."

"Ok." Gabby had one this argument. "I'll make it quick."

"Take your time." Matt got up and kissed her temple.

"Thank you." She simply smiled at him before he turned around and left, closing the door behind him and comeing face to face with Antonio.

* * *

Antonio walked into Lakeshore and went to the E.R. section where he knew his sister was working for the past few weeks. He knew her schedule and he had come to see her because he sent her a message about going over to their parents dor dinner but she hadn't replied to him so he just wanted to make sure she was ok.

"Is Gabby Dawson still working?" He asked the nurse's station.

"She wasn't working here today, she's been sent up to pediatrics to resume her original post. It's on the second floor." She smiled politely at him.

"Thank you." He made his way to the second floor and asked the nurse there the same question as the one downstairs.

"She's in room 212 with the Casey girl." Antonio found his way around to room 212 but wasn't expecting what he found. Gabby had her hand on Matt Casey's neck and his arm was wrapped around her waist, his body leaning into her, their body language telling him that they were talking. Antonio knew that she had told him the truth but he didn't want to have his sister's heart broken like it had been before. Matt finally stood up and kissed her temple before walking out of the room and closing the glass door behind him and looking up to come face to face with him.

"Antonio, what are you doing here?"

"I came to find my sister, she hasn't returned any of my calls or texts. The E.R. sent me up here."

"Sorry about that, she's been with us a good part of today. One of my daughter is sick." Antonio felt bad for the father in front of him, knowing how bad he felt when one of his kids were sick.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Both men stood in front of a each other a few seconds, silence between them. "Listen Matt. I know this isn't the best time to talk about this but I know she told you the truth last night."

"She has. And I asked her out on a date." He knew Grace was safe inside so he didn't mind taking a few minutes to talk with Gabby's older brother.

"Like I said, this isn't the best time to talk about this but don't break her heart. If you break her heart, I'll have to break you."

"We're taking things slow right now, nothing big. But your sister is special Antonio and so are her kids and I know what it's like to protect the people you love. I wouldn't want to do anything to jeapordize that."

"It's all I wanted to hear." Antonio extended his hand and Matt shook it before he took his leave to grab some things for his daughter. Gabby was looking at her brother through the glass door, having seen the interraction between him and Matt. They smiled at each other and Antonio turned around to leave, knowing that his sister was in capable hands.

* * *

 **Alright. Before anyone chews my head off for all the medical stuff that might be wrong and how Grace handled the LP, I'll tell you a little story. When I was 7, I had meningitis and it's possible that Grace didn't feel pain because I didn't back in the day but I felt the same symptoms as she did. As for the medical stuff, the only thing I'm really not sure is the meds that they give her. I looked on the internet and that's what they gave me.**

 **I really hope you guys liked this chapter. It's twice as long as what I normally write for this story but since it was a big part of the SL, I didn't want to split it in two but don't expect long chapters like this too often otherwise I won't be able to update as often (it took me part of yesterday plus two hours today to write it) Please leave a review to tell me what you thought. See you next week for the next update - Sarra**


	16. Going Home

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and the kids names.**

 **a/n: Thank you to everyone who supports this story and a lot of people say it's their favourite story this summer makes me a happy woman so for everyone who requested a new chapter again tomorrow, here it is, a little ahead of time ;) I hope you enjoy it.**

* * *

The following week was more of the same for the Casey's. Christie had taken care of Emma, bringing her around every morning until after lunch to keep her sister company before bringing her back home for an afternoon nap and dinner with Violet. Matt had stayed glued to Grace's side, furlough arranged by Boden and Herrmann was standing as acting lieutenant while he was away. Grace had improved significantly since being admitted and diagnosed but Gabby kept coming by, a couple of times with the kids after shift because they knew that Grace was sick they had wanted to see her and during her break and lunch time every time she was on shift. That had made her and Matt closer and it had been a mutual understanding that their first date would have to wait until Grace got better, her health a priority over anything else.

Everyone from 51 had come by at one point or another to bring flowers and spend a little time with them to cheer Grace up and for the first time since starting at 51, Matt heard the Herrmann brood actually be quiet, something that didn't happen quite often. One afternoon, Matt returned from his house where he had brought Grace more of her things and he found Gabby sitting at her bedside, the both laughing under the dimmed lights. Her sensitivity to light was still present but her head aches had gone down enough that she wasn't so in pain anymore.

"Hey you two." He called when he went into the room.

"Hey daddy. Did you get my things?"

"Everything you asked me." He showed her the bag and smiled at Gabby.

"What's in the bag dad?" Gabby chuckled, curious to know what he had brought back.

"A few things. Grace wanted me to bring some music because she says yours is boring." He teased her about the hospital music playing, Gabby acting all offended. "And I brought some games that we can play while we're here."

"Thanks dad."

"So how was your snack?"

"Cookies and milk. It was ok."

"What were the two of you laughing about when I came in?"

"Wouldn't you like to know." Gabby moved her chair so he could sit in the second one next to Grace's bed.

"Ok, fine, you two ladies have your secrets." He pointed between the two. "But just so you know Gabby, Grace is TERRIBLE at keeping secrets."

"That's not true dad." She complained but deep down she knew he was right. They talked like that until it was time for Gabby to go back to work. She smiled at him and left the room, Matt looking at her while she left.

They hadn't been on an official date yet but Matt felt like it was something that could work, even if there was five kids between them. After he had asked her on that date the morning after talking about their past, he wanted to protect the girls until he was sure it could work but now that Gabby was around more, he wanted to know what they thought about it. He kept in mind to talk to the girls the next morning. He kept Grace company until she fell asleep and decided to go down to the cafeteria to grab some coffee and something to eat since he hadn't really eaten today. He walked down the two flights of stairs and made his way to the cafeteria and decided on a sandwich and some soda instead of coffee. As he scanned the cafeteria with his eyes to find an empty table, his eyes fell on Gabby who was sitting by herself, picking at a muffin so he made his way towards her.

"Mind if I join you?" She obviously wasn't expecting anyone to join her, she seemed so deep in thought.

"Hey Matt, sure. How's Grace?" She smiled at him.

"She's sleeping. How come you're still here? I thought your shift was over."

"I grabbed an extra four hours, Kate's son is sick and she couldn't come in."

"That's nice, where are the boys and Valentina tonight?"

"At my mom's again. Listen Matt, I want to say sorry for Antonio. I know he thinks he's protecting me." She needed to get it off her chest, she had been thinking about it since her first shift ended, but Matt cut her off.

"It's ok Gabby, I get it. When my sister was getting divorced, it got really messy and all I wanted to do was protect her so I get where Antonio is coming from."

"It's just I saw you talking the other day outside Grace's room and I wanted to bring it up before but it wasn't the time with Grace being sick." Matt stood from his chair and quickly silenced her with a kiss, his right hand resting on her cheek, taking her by surprise. She closed her eyes and enjoyed his lips on hers, her lips granting his tongue access so he could deepen the kiss.

"Matt." She whispered as the contact of his lips left hers for a few seconds before placing a chaste kiss on her lips before he sat down.

"I'm sorry, I've been wanting to do this since that same day and it wasn't a good timing but you and I, it feels right and I really want to know where it could lead us."

"You have no idea how right it feels." She blushed. The concept of falling head over heals with someone when she had just been widowed was hard for her to grasp but it did feel right. "I just don't want to let anyone in the kids life if it might not work."

"I feel the same way. Our kids are too important to do that to them. If it's ok with you, I was thinking about asking the girls when Christie is going to bring Emma over in the morning how they feel about us seeing each other."

"That's ok with me but I'm not sure if it's the right time for me to tell Luis, Filippe and Valentina."

"That's ok. It's just that the girls see everything and if they haven't noticed us this week, trust me they will because all I want to do is kiss you." He smirked, making her giggle before she looked at her watch.

"Crap, I need to go, my second shift is about to start." She stood and gathered her muffin. "Walk with me?"

"Sure." He smiled at her and got up and started walking in sync with her. Matt and Gabby's hearts were pounding in each other's chest, mere inches from each other. He left her at the nurse's station so she could look at her new patient files while he went back to Grace's room where she was still sleeping. He moved a strand of blonde hair from her forehead and pressed a kiss to her hand. He missed the energetic Grace and couldn't wait to have her back. He quickly fell asleep against the bed, he was exhausted. He was being shook awake an hour later by Gabby who came to check on Grace. She had come by earlier but had found them both sleeping, not wanting to wake them up, Grace's vitals could wait.

"Matt." She shook him lightly. His stress level was high so it didn't take much for him to be woken up.

"Hey you." He ran a hand over his face. "It's your break already?"

"No, I'm looking after Grace for the next three hours." She picked up Grace's chart and looked at her monitor, writing down what she saw. "I'll bring you a cot. Has anyone given you one since you've been here?"

"No, I've been sleeping in this chair since the first night."

"I'll make sure you get one before I leave later." Grace stirred awake.

"Hey baby girl, how are you feeling?" Matt asked her.

"Better but I'm thirsty." Matt took the pitcher of water and filled the little cup up before sitting back down, Grave bringing the cool liquid to her lips.

"How's my favourite goddaughter?" Shay peaked her head in the room, everyone turning to look in her direction.

"Auntie Leslie." Grace smiled.

"Feeling better?"

"Uh huh, but i can't go home yet right?"

"Maybe in a few days." Gabby smiled at her.

"Not that I'm not happy to see you but aren't you on shift Shay?"

"Yeah, we just dropped a patient at the E.R. Chilli is doing the paperwork. I thought I'd come say hi and give you this." She took a sunflower from behind her back, making Grace smile.

"Thanks."

"I didn't know they moved you back to peds."

"Yeah, it's been a few days. I found out on my first day back this week."

"Are you taking care of Grace?"

"Unofficially but for next three hours, I'm the attending." Both girls smiled at each other.

"Alright so I need to get back on ambo but you take care of my beautiful goddaughter." she hugged Gabby. "And you." she pointed to Matt. "We need to talk later." and she hugged Matt before kissing Grace on her forehead and leaving.

"That was." Gabby wasn't sure how to put it in words.

"Shay." He laughed. Shay was Shay and she knew something was going on and she was looking for some dirt.

As promised, Gabby made sure Matt had a cot to sleep on before she left for the evening. She couldn't believe that they had been here for the past week and no one had given him one. She hugged Grace and than Matt, his arms wrapped tightly around her wait.

"Thanks Gabs."

"Anytime. I'm off tomorrow so you need to call me for an update, the doctor should come by early."

"Will do. Say hi to the kids for me." They smiled at each other and she left. Matt and Grace were left alone once again. They played games until Grace's eyelids were drooping, unable to stay awake.

"Come on kid, the doc will be here in the morning, you need to rest."

"Night daddy."

"Night princess." He kissed her forehead and she fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow. He watched her sleep a little before he lied down on the cot and fell asleep himself, this past week taking its toll on him.

Grace was already awake when Matt woke up and she was smiling. "How are you feeling?" He sat up on the cot and smiled at her.

"I'm feeling a lot better daddy."

"That's good. Maybe the doc will have good news then."

"Did you sleep better in the bed daddy?"

"I did actually but it doesn't matter. As long as you're ok, I can live with sleeping in a chair for a week or so."

"Grace." Emma ran in the room, her mask on her face.

"Emma. I'm feeling better today." The twins looked at each other and giggled. They weren't identical twins but they were inseperable. Matt knew that Emma wasn't getting enough sleep without her twin close by."

"Hey, they gave you a bed." Christie pointed to what Matt was sitting on.

"Gabby made sure I had one last night."

"That's good. That chair couldn't have been comfortable."

"Ms Dawson was here yesterday when I was gone too?" Emma pouted. "But I wanted to see her."

"She took care of your sister for a few hours after you were gone." Matt looked at Christie and made a silent request to be alone with the girls. Christie gave an excuse about getting some coffee before turning and leaving the three alone.

"Is something wrong daddy?" Emma asked, noticing something had changed.

"Nothing is wrong but I wanted to ask you something."

"Ok." Both girls nodded.

"You like Ms Dawson don't you?" He didn't want to use complicated words with them and didn't want to tell them Gabby's story knowing the question of the boys father would eventually come up but they were the two most important people in his life and he wanted them to be ok with him seeing Gabby.

"Uh huh."

"Is she going away like mom did?" Grace questionned.

"No she's not but would it be ok with you if I saw Ms Dawson sometimes? Just me and her?"

"You mean like go to the movies and the restaurant?" Matt chuckled, it was cute.

"Yeah sometimes."

"Or holding her in your arms like you did the other day?" Matt knew exactly what day she was talking about.

"Yeah, we would do that too. Would you ladies be ok with sharing me a bit more with Ms Dawson?" Both girls looked at each other and giggled again, sharing a look.

"We like Ms Dawson and we want you to be happy again daddy." Matt's eyes welled a little bit. His girls noticed everything when he thought they didn't and they had seen him a bit sadder lately until he had met Gabby.

"I love you both." He sat on the bed and hugged them both. He pulled away and smiled at them as the doc came in.

"Good morning. You look better this morning Grace." He smiled at her.

"I feel better. Can I go home soon?"

"I'll tell you what. We will do a few tests today and if everything looks good, you'll be able to go home tomorrow morning. Is that ok with you?"

"Yes."

Christie rejoined them after the doctor was gone and Grace had her blood drawn and left for an LP before she returned about thirty minutes later, telling her dad what the doctor had told her. He came back less than two hours later with the best news Matt had heard all week.

"All the tests were negative for meningitis but it's possible she'll still feel some residual symptoms so I wrote you a prescription for medication for head aches and anti-inflamatory pain meds for any neck discumfort she may feel. She'll be as good as new in no time."

"Thank you so much for taking good care of her doc."

"It was my pleasure. I'll give all the instructions to her nurse and you'll be able to leave after lunch."

"Yay." Both girls said from the bed. The doctor smiled at them and left them alone. Christie worked on packing Grace's things and to make sure she wasn't missing anything while Matt stepped out to call Gabby, Severide and Boden with the great news.

Lunch was served and soon after, the nurse came in with a wheelchair and handed Matt the prescription.

"I'll go get it for you Matt. You just bring the girls back home, I'll be by when I'm done."

"Thanks Chris, for everything."

"Anything for my little brother and my nieces." She hugged him and they went down to the lobby, Matt taking Grace in his arms to bring her to his truck and then they each drove in a different direction only to meet later. The drive home was short and Matt helped both girls out before taking them by the hand and walking up their stairs.

"Home sweet home." He called out once they were in the house, the girls going to sit quietly in the living room, just happy to be back home again.

* * *

 **Finally Grace gets better and is able to go back home with Matt and her sister Emma. Matt and Gabby finally share a kiss that's been building up inside of them. It's a bigger step for them and the girls being happy for him and wanting to see Gabby more is good sign for them.**

 **I know I know I said that I'd post only monday but with all the reviews I've recieved today, I couldn't stop myself from writing another chapter for you guys, you are all amazing. But for real this time, there will be no update until monday because I am enjoying a BBQ with friends tomorrow and the sunny weather so I hope you guys have a great week-end and I'll see you guys on Monday for another update - Sarra**


	17. The date

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and the kids names.**

 **a/n: First of all, OMG! I got 18 reviews on the last chapter only so thanks for all the love, you guys are THE BEST. Tell you what? If this next chapter brings the reviews up to 200 (a first EVER for me) I'll update again tomorrow before updating another one of my stories so I hope you enjoy Matt and Gabby's first date together.**

* * *

Matt spent the next few days with Grace and Emma at home, shutting the outside world from them. They watched movies snuggled together on the couch, Grace often putting her head on his lap since she was still tired from her hospital stay and Emma getting as close as humanly possible to her father on the other side. They also played kid games together, often laughing when they all became competitive with each other. He would exchange occasionnal texts with Gabby, often centering on how Grace was doing now that she was home but they also texted about when they would be going on their date. Gabby had a hectic schedule at the hospital but they decided on the Friday evening to spend some time together.

Matt was starting shift on thursday and finishing on the friday before taking a nap and getting ready for some alone adult time with Gabby.

* * *

Gabby spent most of the next few days in peds except on one shift where the E.R. was overbooked and a nurse had called in sick at the last minute. She had walked up the stairs to be greeted by Nathalie with the news but she had gone down without another question asked to give a hand to the E.R. staff. She got home exhausted that same evening, making the kids some quickly made spaghetti for dinner, Leslie popping by right before she started making it, bringing a bottle of wine with her. Gabby had seen her at the E.R. when she brought in a factory worker with a few missing fingers, needing to be stitched up in the O.R and when she had seen her friend's face, Shay had offered to come by to help her unwind.

"God I needed this." Gabby drank a large gulp of wine before putting it back down on the table and taking a bite to eat.

"I know. It has been a crazy day, even for us." Shay drank some of her wine too. The kids were eating quietly which gave the girls the opportunity to talk but at some point, Luis and Filippe had started arguying with each other for a reason none of the adults knew about but Gabby put a stop to it rather quickly.

"Stop it right NOW." She scolded them. "Mommy had a long and hard day today so I don't want to hear the two of you bickering. Please behave or you'll be going to your room do I make myself clear?"

"Yes mom." They both said at the same time.

"Thank you." She ate a small bite and took some more wine. "I can't wait to be Friday so I can go out." She huffed, suddenly realizing she hadn't told Shay about her date with Matt.

"Who's the mystery man?" Shay smirked.

"I'm going out with Matt." Gabby blushed, talking just loud enough for Leslie to hear.

"I KNEW IT." She yelled, surprising the boys and recieving a hand on her mouth from Gabby to keep it down.

"He asked me out a little while ago but Grace got sick and it just wasn't the right time but he wants us to go out on Friday."

"Are you going to see a friend on Friday mamma?" Luis asked, he had heard it all. Gabby wasn't expecting him to ask that out right but he could hear and see things others didn't.

"Actually I am."

"A boy friend?" Filippe asked, his mouth full of pasta.

"First of all, you don't talk with your mouth full mister." Shay giggled, recieving a glare from Gabby, instantly quieting her. "And second, yes it's a boy friend." She made sure to say the two words apart so they would understand.

"Is it Mr. Casey?" Filippe asked again, this time his mouth completely empty.

"As a matter of fact, yes. Are you guys ok with that?" Shay sat quietly next to her friend, listening closely to this important conversation between her and her kids. Gabby hadn't intended to talk to them so soon about her and Matt seeing each other but since the question was now on the table, she wasn't going to shy away from that particular conversation.

"He makes you smile mommy." Luis stated, making her eyes well.

"You stopped smiling when daddy went to heaven." Filippe added, making a tear run down her cheek, her finger stoping it in its descend. "We like it when you smile better mamma."

"I like smiling better too." She smiled through her tears, Shay rubbing her back to tell her she was there for her. "Mrs Martinez next door said she'd come stay with you while I went out. Is that ok?"

"Yes mamma." They liked the older lady next door and they'd go spend some time with her when Abuela stayed with them while Gabby was at work.

They spent the rest of dinner laughing with the kids and Gabby excused herself to go wash up the kids to put them to bed and Shay took it upon herself to pick the table up, feeling Gabby had enough on her plate at the moment.

"Thanks for picking everything up Shay, you didn't have to."

"Nah, it's nothing. Thanks for the dinner. The kids in bed ok?"

"Yeah." She sat down and Shay handed her a filled up glass of wine as she took a seat on the couch.

"Sooo, a date with Matt on Friday?"

"Yeah." Gabby blushed. "He said to dress casually, he didn't want to tell me just yet where we're going. Did he tell you anything?"

"No, I still haven't gone to see him since Grace has been back home. So if you're going on a date with Matt, I'm guessing you told him the truth?" Shay asked taking a sip of her wine.

"Yeah. The other day, when we went out at the pier and it was late, Matt started freaking out about bringing me back home, something about not wanting my husband to be mad at him for keeping me out so late. I couldn't keep the truth from him anymore, I owed him the truth so I sort of just blurted it out."

"How did he react?"

"I guess he always knew I was hiding something and he never pushed to find out about it."

"Matt is one of the good guys Gabs. He's been through so much himself and always puts the girls first. Don't be afraid to let him in sweetie."

"We kissed." Gabby said quickly and finished the rest of her glass in one shot before Shay became all giggly. "Twice." Gabby admitted, getting a friendly shove from Shay.

"You total skank." Shay laughed, Gabby laughing with her, alcohol well into her system.

"The first one lasted a few seconds only the morning after I told him the truth."

"He spent the night?" Shay was starting to get excited.

"We fell asleep on the couch after he told me about Hallie and we talked some more."

"That's so sweet. What happened after that?"

"He kissed me again at the hospital, we were in the cafeteria. Am I being a total bad person by telling you I want him to do it again on Friday?" A light blush crept up her cheeks as she drank some more wine.

"I don't think so. I can't pretend to know what it's like to lose a spouce, hell I can't even keep a girl but I think that your husband would want you to be happy. He'd want you to smile again." Shay reused Luis's words, smiling at Gabby.

"Thanks Shay, you're a great friend." Shay moved in close to Gabby and pulled her in a hug.

"Anytime." Shay left another hour before leaving, both having shift in the morning.

* * *

Matt woke up the next morning, happy to be able to get back on shift, life going back to normal. He walked in and greeted everyone before asking Herrmann to his office to get him caught up.

"How's Grace?" He asked as he closed the door to the little office space.

"A lot better. She says her head still hurts but the doc said it'll stop on it's own."

"That's great to know. So word around the house tells me you have a date tomorrow evening lieutenant?"

"Shay and her big mouth. Yeah I do. I'm a little bit nervous though."

"Oh come on Lieutenant, you'll be fine. You'll charm her socks off."

"Thanks Christopher." They caught up before Herrmann left Matt to his thoughts.

"I hear you've been kissing a girl?" Severide's voice took him out of those thoughts.

"I'm going to kill Shay." He chuckled. "I'm going on a date with her tomorrow evening."

"Where are you taking her?" Shay peeked her head through the door.

"I'm not even sure I'll tell you. If you're ready to talk about me kissing Gabby and telling the house I have a date, I'm not sure I trust you to keep your mouth shut on where I'm taking her." He laughed, Kelly joining him on the fun.

"You are no fun." Shay left pouting.

"I love you too Shay." Matt yelled after her.

"So where are you taking her?" Kelly asked.

"To that mexican restaurant close to Lakeshore and then there's an outdoor show with fun stuff at the park close to my place. I though it could be cool, nothing too flashy."

"Taking it slow."

"Yeah. I don't want to rush her into a relationship even if all I want to do is be around her and kiss her. I swear Sev, she's something else." Matt smiled. He hadn't felt like that in over five years and it felt great.

"I believe you man. I'm happy for you, hope it goes well."

"Thanks man." Both looked up at the ceiling as they heard the bell calling them to a structure fire. Matt ended up having to go to Lakeshore with a patient in a ride along with Shay and Chilli. As he was about to leave, he bumped into Gabby who was in the E.R. He held onto her arms to prevent her from falling. "Hey, I thought working in the E.R. was done?"

"It is, I'm just coming for the little girl you just brought in." She smiled at him as he let go of her. "By the way, you never told me where we're going tomorrow. I don't even know what I should wear."

"You'll look nice in anything." He smiled. It wasn't the answer she was looking for but she'd have to work with that. "See you tomorrow." He winked at her before leaving. He wasn't about to have rumours start before they even went on their first date so he went to see Shay and waited for her to finish the paperwork to go back to the house.

"I saw that lover boy." She smiled, not even looking up from her papers. "You so have the hots for her."

"Wouldn't you." He looked at Gabby move around the E.R. to bring the little girl up to peds.

"Oh absolutely." She finally looked up from what she was doing.

Both Matt and Gabby went on with their shift, looking forward to the next evening. Matt had a big shift, crashing as soon as he got home, Christie would come by with the girls mid afternoon to pick up some of their things for the sleepover at her place. Gabby went on the next morning with her next shift, nerves starting after lunch was done with. Thank god for her she didn't have any emergency that would make her have to stay later than her shift ended. She drove home and took a shower, wanting to get ready before her mother left.

"So where is he taking you?" Her mom asked from the living room as Gabby walked out of the shower.

"I don't know mom, he didn't want to tell me."

"And how do you know what you have to wear?"

"He said I'd look nice in anything."

"Quite the charmer is he?"

"Mom, I'm sure he's only taking me to like dinner and a movie, it's nothing big."

"It doesn't matter. If he treats you right that's what's important."

"Thanks mom." She walked out of her room with a black form fitting cotton dress, her hair still wrapped in a towel. "How does that look?"

"It looks great, what will you do with your hair and make up?"

"Straight hair, minimum make-up. I think it should be good with my red beaded sandals."

"That's perfect. You'll look beautiful dear."

"Thanks mom but you better go if you don't want to be late for dinner with daddy."

"Tell me how it went? I'll want to meet this man too."

"It's only our first date mom." Gabby complained, returning to her room to finish getting ready.

"I know but if everything goes well, you know your father will want to meet him."

"Yes mom I know but we're taking it slowly. I promise I'll bring him home if it leads somewhere."

"Alright. Have fun tonight dear. I love you." She kissed her daughter's cheek before she left. Mrs Martinez was due to arrive at 6 so Gabby needed to hurry up if she wanted to be ready in time.

"How does mommy look?" She asked the kids as she stepped out of her room fully ready.

"Pretty mamma." Luis smiled from the couch where they were watching a movie.

"Do you think Mr. Casey will like it?" She asked, biting her cheek inside her mouth because she was so nervous.

"He'll think your pretty too mom." Filippe added, looking at her for the first time too. The first knock was Mrs. Martinez that was arriving and when the second came, Gabby's nervousness went to a whole new level. She opened the door to Matt, standing on the other side with black dress pants and shoes and a white button shirt with his sleeves rolled up and the first two buttons open, he looked absolutely handsome.

"Matt." She smiled, letting him come in. "You look handsome."She complimented.

"You look absolutely beautiful." He smiled back at her before he leaned down, his left hand coming to rest against her cheek and lips pressing on her right cheek.

"Thank you." She blushed. "Is it ok for where we're going?"

"It's perfect." He smiled again, seemingly not able to stop. Her blush became a darker shade of red before she recovered and went to see the kids in the living room. They greeted Matt with a hello and a smile before Gabby gave them the instructions for the evening.

"I want you to be nice to Mrs. Martinez, no funny business. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes mom." They both said and Valentina repeated the yes as well before Gabby kissed them on the cheek and told them goodnight before she left with Matt.

"Where's your truck?" She looked at him, clearly not knowing about tonight's agenda.

"We are going for a little walk." He smirked as they started walking in the restaurant's general direction. It was about fifteen minutes away from Gabby's place and close to Lakeshore hospital. Once it came into view, Gabby looked up at Matt and smiled.

"Carlos and Pepe's, I love that restaurant."

"I never went before, I thought it would be fun to try it."

"You won't be disappointed." She smiled as Matt opened the door for her and led her in. They were seating in the far corner of the restaurant so they could have more privacy during the evening at Matt's request. He helped her sit down and he took the seat in front of her as the waiter came to get their drink order and give them the menu's. Gabby opted for a glass of sangria while Matt had a beer and they ordered their main courses. Gabby went for a salad in a hard tacos bowl and Matt went for the enchiladas. They spent dinner getting to know more about each other, telling kid stories and funny work anecdotes.

"I can't believe Otis did something like that to them, poor guys." She was laughing so hard she had to hold her stomach.

"I swear he did but they got him back pretty good too, it was priceless."

"You'll have to bring the kids around the firehouse someday, I could show them around."

"I'm sure they'd love that, thanks Matt." They arrived at Matt's parked truck and he helped her inside. They drove towards his place and parked the truck in front of his house.

"You have a nice house." She complimented even though she hadn't seen the inside yet.

"That will be for another day." The truth was, he wasn't sure if he'd be coming out of it at all tonight if they went in so he helped her out of the truck and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, hers coming to rest against his waist as they walked towards the park where music could be heard from afar. They walked in to lights and lanterns placed around the park, live bands and merchants everywhere along the way. Gabby pulled a laughing Matt pretty much everywhere, enjoying everything around her. She hadn't had this much fun in a long time and she was like a kid in the candy store. Matt bought her a few bracelets that she really liked under her constant complaint, claiming he didn't have to and that it was way too much. They stopped along the way to listen to some of the bands, both arms wrapped around each other. Some of them were really good and they stayed to listen longer than some others before they kept going.

The sun had set a little while ago but they weren't really taking a look at the time having too much fun. Matt stopped Gabby in her tracks when they made it to a flower stand and he smiled at her before going to the vendor and buying a yellow rose for her.

"Here." He gave her the flower and leaned down to press his lips to hers in a sweet kiss.

"Matt, you have to stop it. You paid for dinner, and the bracelets and now the flower. That's way too much."

"No it's not. I'm having fun and I'm hoping that you are too." He wrapped his arms around her waist, both looking in each other's eyes.

"I haven't had fun like that in a very long time. Thank you Matt."

"You're welcome. Now let's get you back home to the kids." They walked back towards Matt's house, their fingers linked together. They had to part so they could get into his truck but their fingers linked back up immediately, Gabby was sitting with her body facing Matt as he drove. They drove back to her house in a comfortable silence, just enjoying each other's company and the quiet music that was playing in his truck. Once they got back to her apartment, he helped her out one last time out of his truck and they walked back up to her level, their hands never leaving each other.

"I had a lot of fun tonight, thank you." She placed her key in the door and turned around to look at Matt with a smile.

"You are welcome, I had a lot of fun too." They were standing mere inches apart, Gabby's heart racing at the closeness and Matt's at how beautiful the girl in front of him was. Her black dress was hugging every curve of her body, her minimal make-up radiated natural beauty and her mocha skin was taunting him. He wondered how it would feel like under his fingers. He stopped resisting the temptation and placed his hands on her hips, pushing her against the door of her apartment. Her breath was faster and their eyes were locked on each other. Gabby's arms came to rest around his neck, the rose still in her hands and they met in the middle, their lips crashing against each other, fighting for control. Gabby caved in first, Matt's tongue exploring every inch of her mouth, his body pushing hers into the door, their want for each other more than evident. They parted when air became an issue and he kissed her again, softly this time. Their breathing had steadied but their hearts were still pumping fast.

"Good night." He whispered.

"Good night." She whispered back. He kissed her one last time before she went into her place and closed the door behind her, her back resting against it, her heart pounding in her chest and a smile on her face. Matt went back down the stairs with a bounce in their step, his heart pounding in his chest.

They both went to bed, their night filled with dreams of each other, looking forward to their next meeting.

* * *

 **Ta Dah! Another chapter done and finally Matt and Gabby have a great evening together, just the two. Matt couldn't stop himself before the night ended, giving them an extra reason to see each other again.**

 **I really hope you liked this chapter. The evening's ending idea was given to me by Just Nevine (while trying to guess what my idea for next chapter is) so thank you to her for that ;) Please leave a review before you leave so I know what you guys thought of this latest instalment and who knows, see you MAYBE tomorrow for another update, that'll be up to you guys - Sarra**


	18. Caught

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except for my imagination and the kids names**

 **a/n: OMG 23 reviews plus about 5 on twitter. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! I'm really glad that everyone was so happy with the previous chapter. I'm really trying to move the story along so it looks believable to everyone.**

 **Enjoy this next chapter and between updates, I'll work first on the dream and then Coming home (that one will be for you coconut).**

* * *

Matt picked the girls up from Christie's the next morning, bringing them out for breakfast as usual. Last night's kiss kept looping in his dreams and he kept replaying it over and over in his head.

"Did you girls have fun at Christie's last night?" He sat across from them as they ate.

"Yes. Did you have fun with Ms Dawson yesterday?" They countered.

Matt only chuckled at their interrogation tactics. "I did. And what did you guys do?"

"We played games and watched movies." Emma started.

"And we ate pop corn." Grace finished. She was finally starting to be more like herself.

"Sounds like fun." Matt pulled his phone out as it dinged. **I had fun last night. We should do it again :)** Matt laughed at Gabby's childish happy face before replying. **I start a new shift tomorrow 8am. 24hrs on and 48hrs off. Tell me when and I'm all yours.** He quickly put his phone back in his pocket, giving them as much attention as he could with his mind playing tricks on him. He spent the rest of the day with the girls as he always did on his day off. He knew that those days were going to be few in between soon since they'd be starting school pretty soon.

* * *

 _Tell me when and I'm yours._ Matt's text stayed in her head as well as their kiss the night before. The way her body felt as he pushed her against the door and how his lips felt against hers, her body catching on fire as his tongue touched hers. Alberto was the only other man who made her feel like that in the past and she didn't want it to stop. They had agreed to take it slowly and her mind was glad he wasn't pushing her but her body was telling her something else. Her dreams had been plagued with the kiss but in her dreams, the kids hadn't been asleep on the other side of the door. He had gotten his way with her and it made her wonder if they should take the next step.

"Mamma?" Valentina was calling out to Gabby and it took her out of her train of thoughts.

"Yes baby?" She smiled at her as the boys gave her a strange look.

"Park." She simply said.

"You want to go to the park?" Valentina giggled and shook her head up and down to say yes.

"Can we go with our bikes?" Luis asked.

"We can do that. It's supposed to be a nice day. Finish breakfast while I get some snacks ready and we can go as soon as we're dressed."

"YAY." They cheered and ate quickly, excited to go have some fun. Gabby knew that they had to enjoy the time they had left because soon enough, it would be time for school and they would have less time together to do fun stuff at the park.

When they arrived at the park, there was other kids there with their moms. Gabby had seen the kids on several occasions with their parents and Luis and Filippe had often played with them. She was a bit surprised when one of the moms came to sit with her.

"Hi, I'm Sheryl, Eric's mom. You're the twins mother right?" She smiled at her.

"Gabby Dawson. It's nice to meet you."

"Likewise." She smiled back at Gabby. "I wanted to bring Eric to the zoo tomorrow and he begged me to know if the boys would like to come with us?" Gabby looked at her twins playing with Eric, a smile on both their faces.

"They would love that." The two woman exchanged phone numbers and promised to meet back up here at nine the next morning. The boys came to get their snack and Gabby told them about the plan for tomorrow and they were super excited, running off to tell Eric that they could come. She smiled at how happy the boys were and then an idea popped in her head. She grabbed her phone as the kids went back to play and she called up her mother.

"Hi mom. I was wondering if you could take Valentina Tuesday morning for the day?" **And what about the boys?** "They are going to the zoo with a friend from the park and I figured I could squeeze some errands in my day and get stuff done around the house." She lied. The truth was, she wanted to spend some time with Matt on his day off, just the two of them. **I'd love to, maybe I can bring her shopping for some new clothes, she's growing so fast.** "Thank you mom, you're a life saver. I'll see you tomorrow." Her mother said her goodbye's and Gabby hung up. She found Matt's name in the contacts and sent him a text. **Want to meet me at my place for lunch on tuesday? The kids will be gone ;)** The text she recieved from Matt made her smile. He had promised to be there after taking a small nap after his shift.

* * *

Matt and Gabby went on shift on Monday morning, excited about meeting up the next day. One of Matt's neighbours had a little girl the twin's age had asked the girls if they wanted to come for a pic nic at the park on tuesday, getting the girls all excited and Matt alone time to go spend it with Gabby. They spent the day exchanging texts when she was on break and he was back from a fire. They were both lucky to have fairly easy shift, allowing for Matt to sleep most of the night, giving him an excuse not to nap and head over to Gabby's sooner.

Gabby was tidying her living room when her phone dinged on the kitchen counter. She went to see who was texting her, hoping it wasn't Matt telling he had to cancel their plans but instead she found a message from Shay. **I know you are off shift, I was wondering if you wanted to do something today?.** She quickly answered her that she was happy to have the day off without the kids and that she had some things to do, that's she'd take a raincheck for another day. Matt was supposed to be there soon and she wanted to enjoy some time alone with him. Maybe thirty more minutes past before there was a knock on the door. She opened it and was face to face with Matt.

"Hey." She smiled, taking in his appearance. He was wearing black bermuda's and a blue shirt, making his baby blues pop even more.

"Hey." He smiled back, enjoying the view of Gabby he had. She was wear short shorts and a black tee, her hair in a bun. She moved aside to let him in and as soon as the door was closed behind him, his lips came crashing down on hers. He pulled her body to his, needing to feel her close to him. Her arms came to rest around his neck as she let him deepen the kiss, heat radiating from her body once again at his touch. Air became a problem and they parted, their breaths coming out ragged. "I've wanted to kiss you all shift long."

"Kiss me again." She asked. Matt easily picked Gabby up as she placed her legs around his hips, giggling before he kissed her again. He sat the both down and let her straddle him, their lips never breaking contact. Gabby rubbed her core against him as his hands tangled in her hair, keeping her close to him as humanly possible.

Gabby's phone was buzzing against the counter as someone called but she hadn't heard a thing, her mind only on the man that was under her. The phone buzzed again as another call came in, ringing until it went to voicemail and then it dinged to say there was a voice message and another ding signaled a text was coming in but the two adults were oblivious to it, too wrapped up in each other.

Gabby quickly discarded Matt's shirt in between kiss, Matt giving her the control to go as far as she was comfortable going. She ran her fingers against the hard plain of his abs, his firefighter's training paying off. She felt his body shiver as her fingers flirted with the waistband of his pants, her lips curling in a smile as she kissed him tenderly. Matt's hands were on Gabby's back, pulling her closer to him. He wanted her so badly but he was going to let her decide when she would take the next step. He moved his lips to her neck elliciting a moan from her. She moved her neck aside, giving him better access. One of his hands was still on her hip and the other was cradeling her cheek.

"Matt." She moaned as his lips moved to a spot behind her ear. He pulled back and looked into her eyes, a look of lust dancing there. He ran his hand under her shirt, making her take in a breath, Matt stopping his action, searching in her eyes for what to do next but her words did that for him. "Don't stop." It was barely above a whisper but it was loud enough for Matt to hear it. He moved his other hand under her shirt as well, moving it higher up her body and all the way off, leaving her clad in her black bra.

"Just beautiful." He smiled at her before his lips claimed hers were so wrapped up in each other that they didn't heart the knock on the door and the click of it when the person on the other side made her way inside after getting no answer from the appartment's owner.

"I called and got no answer and I got worried. Gabby?" Shay called out, taking the couple out of the bubble they were in, scrambling to take hold of their shirts but it was useless. Shay's eyes landed on their half naked forms on the couch "Oh My GOD." She smiled but turned around. "I didn't know you two." She started, almost stammering. "I thought you were alone and I wanted to come keep you company but I can see you already have some." She chuckled. "Bye." She looked back at them with a smirk and left, clicking the door back shut.

"Oh my GOD!" Gabby was holding her shirt against her chest, her face red with embarassment while Matt's chest shook with a soft laughter. "It's not funny Matt." She swatted him, her lips curling in a smile too.

"Be thankful it was only Shay." He laughed, Gabby's smile turning in a look of horror.

"Matt!" she exclaimed. "It could have been the kids."

"Breathe Gabs, it's ok." He pressed his hands on her hips and pressed his lips to hers in a chaste kiss. Gabby put her shirt back on and Matt did the same as she unstraddled him and sat down next to him, her legs over his. He ran his fingers against her legs, the both catching their breaths. "I have an idea." She looked up to him, curious about what he had in mind. "Have the guys gone camping before?"

"We slept a few times under the stars as a family before but not since we came back here."

"How about they come over and we get the tents up in the basement so we can maybe watch a movie or something casual?"

"I would love that." Gabby finally stood up and went to the kicthen to start making lunch and they ate it, enjoying it before Matt left since the both of them had to pick the kids up from their respective play dates. They met back up at Matt's place and the kids all went playing out back as Gabby helped Matt set the tents up downstairs and start making dinner. They were making spagetthi for everyone and the kids all had fun together. When they were all washed up and ready for bed, Matt and Gabby led them to the basement where tents were set up as if they were on a camp site with torches and all. The kids were excited and Matt put them cartoons on the television to entertain them before they went upstairs to watch a movie of their own.

They found one they liked on television and settled on the couch with a bowl of pop corn, cuddled together.

"The door is locked so no one should be interrupting us." The movie was quickly forgotten as they started making out, Gabby's legs over Matt's, their bodies moving closer together like magnets. Matt laid them down and they kept making out, lost in their own bubble again. They were oblivious to what was around them once again but were pulled out by little hands pulling on Gabby's shirt.

"Mamma, mamma." Valentina's voice was full of panic.

"What's wrong sweetie?"

"Scared." she cried. Matt got up as Gabby took her daughter in her arms to console her and he made his way downstairs to see what was going on. He found all four kids asleep so he closed the tv before going back upstairs.

Valentina was asleep in Gabby's arms as he came back in the living room. "They're all sleeping. She was probably scared because she was alone down there." He moved a strand of curly hair that had fallen in her eyes. They finished watching the movie, Matt's arms around Gabby's shoulder, Valentina still asleep on her. They took her back downstairs where Gabby put her in her make-shift bed, the little girl rolling to her side, still fast asleep and they went back upstairs where they fell asleep on the couch, their legs intertwined together.

* * *

 **So as promised, I gave Gabby and Matt some alone time but they got caught by Shay in a compromising prosition. For sure they won't hear the end of that one.**

 **I really hope you enjoyed this chapter and you'll leave a review to tell me what you thought about it. I'll see you for the next update :) - Sarra**


	19. Conversations

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and the kids names.**

 **a/n: Thank you again to everyone for the amazing reviews you leave me after I post each chapter, it means the world to me. So in this chapter, there won't be any hot and heavy Dawsey...sorry BUT we will get to see discomfort Dawsey soon and who else to do that than our own Shay. I hope you enjoy this.**

* * *

After Shay left Gabby's apartment, she leaned against the wall and took a sharp intake of breath before giggling. She had caught one of her best friends half naked with a newer friend on top, half naked as well. She wasn't going to let them get away with it that easily. She went down the stairs and back to her and Severide's place, she had to tell someone about this.

"You will NEVER know what I just walked in on at Gabby's place." She burst into their place, making Kelly look up from what he was doing.

"I'm pretty sure you're about to tell me all about it." He chuckled, sitting straighter and putting his hands behind his neck.

"Our very own Casey, half naked, under a equally half naked Gabriella Dawson." She sat down in front of him, blocking his view from the tv.

"Is that so? Good for him."

"I'm so going to be teasing him next shift."

"Come on Shay. I know it would be funny but trust me, don't go there."

"Why?"

"We're the ones who told him to get back out there and if this girl makes him happy, than we should be happy for him."

"You are such a party pooper Kelly." She crossed her arms in front of her chest, making Kelly laugh.

"At least you're lucky, I haven't even met her yet."

"She's hot. No wonder Casey can't keep his hands off of her."

"Leave them alone Shay, I mean it."

"Fine." She grumbled.

* * *

Gabby woke up, warmth circling her body as she felt Matt's arms still wrapped around her waist. She watched him sleep, not believing this man could make her feel the way she did, only a few months after her husband had passed away.

"Morning." He whispered, smiling down at her.

"Morning." She rested her head against his chest, his closeness inticing her.

"So what's your plan for today?"

"My sister in law Laura is coming over with the kids for lunch since her bakery is closed and Antonio is at work, you?"

"I'm not sure yet, probably spend the day with the girls in the yard and do some home stuff. I've been busy lately." He smiled as she looked up at him again.

"Busy huh?"

"Yeah. There this latina girl, she's hot and she's been on my mind lately."

"Oh really?" He leaned down and their lips met in a tender kiss.

"Eeeewww." Four little voices could be heard from the dinning room, making both Matt and Gabby chuckle.

"We've been caught, again." Matt said, a smirk on his lips. They weren't lucky on that front since yesterday but this time, there would need to be some explaining to be done.

"Not funny." Gabby whispered, not quite ready or even how to explain to her kids that she was moving on with someone else just yet even if they weren't trying to hide from anyone.

"Who's up for breakfast?" Matt suddenly asked louder.

"Yes." They all said, getting closer to the two adults as they untangled themselves from each other and got up to go to the kitchen. Matt made pancakes for everyone and they ate, both adults exchanging glances across from the table. Gabby got all three kids dressed and got ready to leave when Matt pulled her to him.

"It's going to be ok."

"I know. I just don't know what I'll tell them."

"You'll know. Our kids are tough, they'll be ok too." He leaned down and kissed her cheek.

"Thanks." She smiled at him and he went outside with her to help buckle the kids in before she drove away, Matt waiting for her to drive around the corner before going back inside to the girls.

Gabby walked into her apartment and set the bags down by the door, not feeling like putting them away right now. Laura would be there in two hours with the kids and she wanted lunch to be ready by then.

* * *

Matt went out back with the girls to play in the swing set before lunch. The girls had enough of the swings and started running after each other, both giggling as Matt looked on. They hadn't mentionned anything about what they had seen a few hours before and he was grateful for that because he didn't know how he would explain it to them. He was pulled out of his thoughts by the back yard gate opening and Severide poking his head through.

"I brought lunch." He showed the huge bag of food he had in his hands.

"UNCLE KELLY!" The girls screamed when they saw him, running his way to hug him.

"How are my favouite girls?"

"Daddy kissed Ms. Dawson." Emma blurted, Matt chocking on his own saliva as Kelly laughed candidly.

"Is that so?"

"Yes. We saw everything." Grace giggled.

"Oh really, are you scarred for life?" Matt swatted him since he had come closer to him.

"Let's get lunch inside." Matt declared, hoping to drop the subject. The girls ran niside ahead of them and Kelly gave Matt a guilty look. The truth was that he brought lunch as an excuse to be able to talk to Matt about what was going on with Gabby. They ate the burgers as the girls told Kelly all about them sleeping in tents, the subject of Matt and Gabby kissing far from their minds.

"Soooo." Kelly started as he made sure the girls were outside before he broached the subject of Matt's love life. "Shay tells me she caught you kissing." he smirked.

"Oh yeah. She came in and found us making out on the couch, half naked. Gabby was so embarassed. I told her to be thankful it was only Shay but knowing Shay, she won't let it drop will she?"

"I told her to drop it but know it's Shay, you know she won't."

"I know. So the burgers an excuse to find out more?" Matt nudged Kelly's shoulder.

"You caught me." He laughed. "I just came to see where your head's at."

"It's on her. You have no idea what this girl does to me Sev."

"I can only imagine. How much do the girls know?"

"I asked them if it was ok if I saw Gabby and they're ok with it, they like her."

"And what's her story? Shay didn't tell me much."

Matt pondered what he should tell Kelly, not wanting to betray Gabby's trust. "She lost her husband a few months back." Matt didn't have to explain anything to Kelly for him to understand the meaning behind the words.

"That's tough."

"Yeah. I'm trying not to push her into anything."

"That's understandable. Her kids know about the two of you?"

"They caught us kissing this morning, all five of them, we fell asleep on the couch together. She's worried about what they'll say, and how she'll even tell them." kelly chuckled lightly when Matt told him about the five kids catching them,invisionning four five year olds and a fifteen month old infant staring at the two adults on the couch.

"She'll figure it out. So this is serious huh?"

"I'd like it to be. The way she makes me feel, it's like my insides are on fire. I didn't think I'd even feel like that again after Hallie left."

"I know we've teased you a lot in the past but it's ok to feel like that. I'm happy you're feeling like that again."

Matt looked through the patio door at his girls running around in the yard making bubbles. "I just didn't want to bring women in my life and have them leave again, I couldn't do that to the girls."

"They're tough and I know they want you to be happy, all you need now is to let yourself be happy, you've earned it."

"Thanks Kelly." Matt and Kelly kept talking and playing with the girls well into the afternoon, just having fun together.

* * *

It was noon when there was a knock on the door. Gabby finished cutting the salad up and went to open the door. They hugged and Gabby hugged her niece and nephew before they went into the living room to play with the kids.

"So, what's going on with Matt?" Gabby had talked to Laura a little bit about what was going on with Matt and her fears of going to fast after Alberto's death. Gabby looked into the living room to make sure the kids were still playing.

"They're going well actually. I told him about Alberto and we went on a date."

"How did he take it?"

"He's been very sweet about it." She smiled. "He wants us to take our time, he's letting me set the pace, it's nice." She blushed, thinking about their make-out session on the couch yesterday.

"And how is that pace going?"

"We made out on the couch Laur. We were so into each other that twe forgot he rest of the world." A chuckle escaped Laura's lips as a knock came to the door.

"I know loverboy isn't here Gabby." Shay's voice could be heard through the kitchen. Somehow, Gabby didn't mind Shay walking in after knocking when the door wasn't locked, a sign she was home.

"In here Shay." She called out to her friend, Laura's eyes catching a glimpse of the blonde as she walked in. "And she." Gabby pointed to Shay. "Caught us with our shirts OFF." Laura looked at her shocked before she started giggling, Shay doing the same.

"They were getting it ON." Shay laughed before introducing herself to Laura and sitting down.

"Thanks for pointing that out Shay." Gabby rolled her eyes mockingly.

"What? You two have it bad for each other." Shay poked her side.

"It's ok Gabby." Laura talked more seriously now. Gabby was now playing with her hands. "You're aloud to have those feelings, Alberto wouldn't want you to stay alone forever. I'm pretty sure he'd be happy that someone like Matt would take care of you."

"And I told you this before Gabby, Matt is one of the good guys. The both of you need to open your hearts and allow yourselves to feel what you guys are feeling." Shay took her hand and squeezed it.

"The kids caught us kissing this morning." She looked up at both Laura and Leslie before continuing. "I don't know how to tell them about Matt."

"You'll find the words, I'm not worried." Laura reassured her. They called the kids for lunch and they Shay was having fun with them, making her own bonding with her friend's kids. Laura left mid afternoon to give the two friends some more time together. Shay and Gabby enjoyed some girl time together talking about Matt and girls and just had a great time. Once she left, dinner was over and the kids were washed up, Valentina was sound asleep in bed and they plopped up together and watched a kids movie.

"Is Mr. Casey going to come here more now?" Filippe asked his mother, Gabby looking down at him surprised by his question.

"Sometimes yes. How do you feel about that?" She ran her fingers through his hair. She really didn't know what to tell them but she wanted to let them tell her how they felt about it.

"It's ok mamma, he's nice." He said.

"And he makes you smile like when daddy was here." Luis cuddled further into her side.

"I like Mr. Casey a lot but he's never going to take daddy's place ok?" She was scared that they would feel like she was forcing Matt on them but she wanted them to be ok with it too. Valentina was too small to realize what was going on around her but Gabby's kids were the most important people in her life and they had to be ok with her seeing more of Matt.

"I miss daddy mamma."

"I miss him too baby." She kissed Luis's head and hugged them close, tears threatening to spill but she didn't want the boys to see her cry. They stayed close together like that until the movie was finished and they had both fallen asleep against her. She managed to get Luis to bed without waking her brother and then took Filippe to bed as well before turning for the night herself. She cried silent tears as she fell asleep, her heart mourning the loss of her husband but dreamt of Matt and a new beginning.

* * *

 **a/n: Alright, I'm glad I got this chapter in the SL so we could see Gabby and Matt's evolution regarding their individual grief and Gabby having a talk with the boys about seeing Matt more.**

 **Alright so this is the last chapter I'm posting for the next two weeks since my boyfriend started his vacation at work and we'll be spending time as a family but I promise that in two weeks, I will be back with a whole new chapter, with a lot of Dawsey feels so I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and that you'll leave a review before you go and I'll see you guys in two weeks - Sarra xx**


	20. Hearts in flames

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and the kids names.**

 **a/n: Thank you so much for the continued support throughout this story, it means a lot to me. I know I said that be taking a two weeks off posting to spend time with my family but when I found time to write and finish this chapter, I couldn't take it NOT to post it. I know last chapter was mellow and all but I think it's important not to forget about the kids feelings in all of this. I didn't want them to just get in it and think of their selves only but I think the fact that they're not avoiding their feelings and giving into them while they're together gives it a good balance. So as promised, this chapter will be Dawsey feels and there might be some M rated at the end and into next chapter for everyone who requested it ;) Enjoy**

* * *

Matt went back on shift the next day with Gabby on his mind. For the past couple of days, all he could think of was her body straddling him and them making out on her couch. He greeted everyone and went straight for his office, closing the door and the blinds so he could change out in private. He knew he'd have to be in the conference room soon but he lied down on his bunk and closed his eyes, images of Gabby dancing behind his lids.

"Knock knock." Matt opened his eyes to see Shay peeking through the door.

"Morning Shay." He closed his eyes again, hoping she'd get the hint.

"Oh come on. I know you're thinking about Gabby, don't even try to deny it."

"I won't Shay, I just want a few minutes of quiet before all hell breaks loose." He half grumbled, his eyes still closed, Shay finally getting the hint and leaving. Matt felt his phone vibrate in his pocket and he pulled it out to see a text from Gabby. **I was wondering if your offer still stands to bring the kids by the house?** He answered her with instructions in case they were out on a call and he made his way to the conference room. Boden did his speech as usual and he went into the common room for some coffee. He grabbed the paper and sat at the head of the table like he always did.

"So Casey, anything special happen this week end?" Shay started from the round table, Matt closing his eyes, not really wanting to get into it.

"Just some quiet time with the girls, you know how it is on off days."

"So no date?" Kelly gave her an angry look, telling her to butt out.

"No Shay. Just me and the girls and they had some friends over for some camping in the basement.

"Sounds like fun." Matt knew she wanted to add more but she was stopped by the overhead paging system going off, calling them to a structure fire. They came back about an hour later, Matt noticing Gabby walking up the drive with the kids as we parked the trucks in the garage. A few of the guys glanced over at her as they removed their gear and went inside.

"Hey, you made it." Matt made sure no one was around before he kissed her cheek, really not wanting Shay to make her uncomfortable. Both Luis and Filippe hugged Matt and Valentina was sleeping in her stroller.

"What happened to your arm?" She pointed to the bandage that was there.

"Just a scratch, nothing to worry about." She looked up at him with a worried look. "Shay looked me over. I'm fine I promise" He smiled at her.

"Ok."

"Is this where you work Mr. Casey?" Luis asked while Filippe was looking at the trucks, amazed.

"Yes, you guys want the tour?"

"Yes please." They both said.

"Is everything ok?" He looked down at Gabby as they walked towards the common room.

"Yes." She smiled up at him but he wasn't entirely convinced. They walked into the common room and introduced her to everybody as his friend, trying to keep the awkward questions at bay. Then he took them to the bunk area and showed him where his office was.

"You sleep in here and everyone sleeps out there?" Filippe asked.

"Yup, that space is all mine."

"Cool."

"Hey lieutenant." Matt turned around to find Herrmann leaning against the doorframe of the bunk area, a smile on his face. "If your mom and lieutenant Casey say it's ok, you guys want to go check the trucks out?"

"Can we mom?" Both boys turned around and started jumping up and down.

"If Matt wants than it's ok with me too."

"Please Mr. Casey."

"You guys can call me Matt and yes you can go." Valentina had woken up at that point. "And bring your sister." He added. She got out of the stroller and Luis took her hand, the three of them following Christopher. Matt motioned for them to go in his office so they could have some more privacy. "Are you going to tell me what's on your mind or will I have to pull it out of you?" He smiled as they both sat down on his bunk.

"I am just thinking about something Shay and Laura told me yesterday." She was playing with her hands, a sign Matt had quickly gotten to know as her being nervous about something.

"And what's that?"

"That I was aloud to feel the way I feel about you."

"Are we moving too fast for you? Because we can slow it down if you want." The last thing Matt wanted was to push her into it too quickly.

"No." She stood up and faced him, placing her hands on his cheeks. "I like how fast we're going. I like how my body feels when you're close to me. You make me feel alive Matt and I don't want that to go away." Matt didn't interrupt her, wanting her to tell him how she was feeling. "All I want to do is kiss you, all the time."

"You have no idea." He stood up and leaned down to kiss her. Their lips touched and it was tender but their insides were on fire, wanting more. Matt pulled her closer to him and picked her up, lying her down on his bunk, his body over hers. He looked into her eyes and smiled down at her before claiming her lips once more, his body pressing hers into the mattress. His hands came around her waist, his kisses moving down to her neck, her breathing becoming laboured.

"Matt." Her moan was soft, knowing how important it was for them to be quiet. He moved his kisses back to her lips and they made out, Gabby's hands coming to rest at the base of his neck, enjoying their tender moment together. Air quickly became an issue and they needed to part.

"We're going to Molly's tomorrow night. Why don't you get the kids to stay with your brother or your parents and come join us?"

"I'd like that." She smiled at him as he kissed her again. "I'll ask my mom later, see if they have plans first."

"Alright. Let's go see if the trucks are still in one piece." He guided her out of his office, placing a hand on the small of her back. The walked closer to the laughter coming from the apparatus food only to find the twins making fun of something Cruz was saying.

"Look like someone's providing some entertainment." Matt called out and Cruz almost chocked on his story, telling him that it was something he had done in the past. Valentina was sitting on Shay's lap who was sitting at the Squad table, enjoying the story she knew by heart.

"Mom, Mr. Casey's truck is so cool." Filippe bounded towards his mother.

"Did you get to sit in it?" She chuckled at his enthusiasm.

"Yes and Mr. Otis even let me sit in Mr. Casey's seat."

"That's pretty neat bud but remember what he said?" She asked him.

"To call him Matt but you always said I needed to be polite and call the adults by their last name."

"Unless they tell you otherwise. What else did you get to see?"

"Cruz let me honk the horn of the truck." Luis chided.

"Alright, we have to get going but say thank you to everyone and maybe we can come back another time if it's ok with Matt and Chief Boden." The boys were polite as always and Matt and Gabby parted with a smile to each other, playing it casual in front of everyone.

"She's beautiful Lieutenant." Herrmann's voice broke through Matt's train of thoughts and he looked sideways at him and smiled.

"That, she is." They turned around and went back to the common room, hoping for the quiet shift that would never come.

* * *

Gabby buckled the kids in and headed to her mom's to ask her a giant favour. It wasn't in her nature to have her kids babysat all the time but those few moments alone in Matt's office with his lips on hers and his arms around her waist had turned her on and she wanted to go to Molly's to unwind after tomorrow's shift. She ushered her kids into her parent's house, leaving them with her father who was in the kitchen and went in search of her mother who was in the garden.

"Gabby, sweetie, what brings you by? Is something wrong with the kids?" She got up, worry suddenly coursing through her.

"The kids are fine but I need a HUGE favour tomorrow."

"Anything."

"I just went over to the firehouse where Matt works and he invited me to go to Molly's with him and the rest of the house and I said that I'd love to but i just wanted to make sure it was ok with you first. I hope you and daddy don't have plans."

"We only have plans day after tomorrow in the evening. We can keep them for the night too if that's what you want."

"You're the best mom." She went and hugged her tight. They stayed over for dinner with her parents and her mother played some games with the kids, Gabby doing the dishes in the kitchen, her father drying them.

"Your mother's been talking a lot about Matt. When will I get to meet him?"

"Dad." She groaned. "We barely started seeing each other."

"Gabriella." He exhaled, closing his eyes, clearly looking for the right words. "You know I loved Alberto. He was a good man and a good husband to you and a great father for your kids. The only thing I want is for you to be happy baby."

"Matt makes me happy dad." The dishes weren't done but Gabby wiped her hands down and looked at her father. "Before I left the life Alberto and I built back home, I kept going for Luis, Filippe and Valentina but inside, I think a piece of me was dying." Tears were building up in her eyes but she willed them not to fall. "When Antonio offered me to come live with him, it took me some time to say yes but I believed it was for the best. Then I met Matt. It happened so fast and I didn't think I'd see him again after the pier but I did and the more I get to know him, the more I want to know about him."

"Does he make you feel like your the most important thing in his world?"

"Apart from his daughters? Yes. He makes me feel alive dad." She finally smiled, wiping the tears that had pooled in her eyes.

"That is all I want for you." He pulled her in a hug, holding her softly against him, her arms coming around his neck.

"Thank you daddy. When I'm ready and when it's serious enough, I'll bring him over for dinner." They let go of each other and finished cleaning off the dishes in comfortable silence before Gabby took the three kids and headed home to put them to bed. She knew tomorrow would be a big day with the whole firehouse at Molly's and nowhere to hide. That was another step for her and Matt and she was starting to get butterflies in her stomach. She went to bed happy and nervous at the same time. The next morning, she got everyone ready and fed before her mother came and picked the kids up.

"Be nice for Abuela and Abuelo, do you understand me?"

"Yes mama."

"You are going to stay there for bed time and then I'll come pick you up around lunch time.

"Ok." She hugged them all and then her mother.

"I'll call you if anything changes."

"Have fun honey."

"Thanks mom." Gabby had just enough time to finish getting ready before heading over for shift. She ran up the stairs to the peds level and stuffed her things in her locker before going to get her report from the night nurse. She did her round and when she returned, someone was waiting for her, leaning against the nurses station, his back to her. "Matt?" He turned around when he heard her voice. "What are you doing here?"

"We just brought a victim over and I thought I'd come see you before shift let out." She raised herself on her tip toes and kissed his cheek.

"That's a nice surprise." She smiled at him. "How was shift?"

"It was ok, full of calls. Are we still on for tonight?"

"Yes. The kids are at my moms for the night, I'm all yours." She blushed.

"Alright, I'll let you get back to work. I'll see you tonight." He kissed her cheek and left her to fill up her paperwork.

"He's cute." Nathalie smiled from across the nurse's station, making Gabby blush. "You two seeing each other?" Nathalie was one of the few at the hospital who knew the real story about Gabby's past apart from the people who had hired her.

"Yes. We've seen each other a few times."

"You should go for it, you deserve it."

"Thanks Nathalie." Gabby looked in the direction Matt went and tried concentrating on what she had to do. When lunch came and went, her mind kept drifting to Matt every time she had nothing to do and her nerves went into overdrive. she drove back home after shift and grabbed her phone, dialling a familiar and pacing in her living room.

"Shay, I need your help." Shay walked into Gabby's apartment twenty minutes later, finding it empty. She walked into the direction the curses could be heard and found Gabby creating a tornado with her clothes.

"Woah girl, what happened here?"

"I have nothing to wear." She finally looked up at Shay.

"Calm down Gabby, I'll find you something." Shay came and held her at arms length, making her breathe in and out with her. "That's better. Now let's see what we can find out in this mess you made." Shay chuckled. "Just go shower and I'll have something ready for you." She turned her around and pushed her in the direction of the bathroom.

Gabby did as she was told and tried to get her raging nerves under control while the warm water ran down her body. She came out of the bathroom and her room looked like a room again. Shay had folded everything and it was placed in piles on the bed and she was sitting on her bed with a top and pants, shoes at her feet.

"This is what you'll be wearing." Shay grinned, handing Gabby the clothes and the shoes. Gabby took them and went to change in the bathroom before going back out. "You, look HOT."

"Do you think Matt will like it?"

"Trust me, that boy won't be able to keep his hands off of you." Red crept across Gabby's face, heat rising in her chest. "Now I am going to go get ready AND I'll see you at Molly's later."

"Thanks Shay." The both girls hugged and Shay left Gabby by herself. Gabby looked at herself in the long mirror, taking in her appearance. She was wearing a black sleeveless top with dark wash jeans. The top stopped about an inch above her waistline, revealing a slice of abdomen and she slipped on the peep toe heels Shay had chosen for her. She made her way to the bathroom and did her make-up, smoky eyes and red lips would do the trick. She looked herself over and nibbled on something since her stomach wasn't in the mood for anything really. She figured she'd grab something there with her drink, not wanting to drink on an empty stomach. She drove to Molly's and walked in, the place was already half full. She spied Matt with Severide at the bar and went to join them.

"Is there some room left for me?" She asked, getting both men's attention. Severide looked at her and smiled, extending his hand an introducing himself properly. They had met at the firehouse but briefly. Matt smiled at her but his voice was stuck in his throat. He always thought Gabby was a beautiful woman but tonight, she was more than beautiful.

"You look, gorgeous." He placed an arm around her waist and leaned down to kiss her red lips.

"Thanks." She blushed as their lips parted, leaving some red behind. She pressed her thumb to his lip to remove the colour before Matt ordered her what she wanted.

"I will leave you two alone." Severide excused himself and left.

"He didn't have to leave on my account."

"He was just keeping me company until you arrived. I'm glad you came." It was clear to her that he liked what he saw and the attention he was giving her made her heart swell

"I'm glad too." They kept making small talk, mostly about work and their kids, Matt not able to keep his hands off of her in one form or the other. Shay walked in but only made eye contact with them before she went to join Severide and the rest of the members of 51. They flirted and ended up getting a booth, clearly wanting no one than the other as company.

Gabby wanted nothing more than to have Matt's lips on hers and his hands on her body. Her body ached for him in ways that it hadn't before and Matt was trying to go against every fiber of his being in order to not take her back to his place so they could continue this privately together. They were laughing together as they talked, occasionally getting a new drink when their previous one was done. When Otis came back with a new round, they both thanked him and for the first time in the evening, there was a silence between Matt and Gabby.

"This is fun, I'm happy I said yes." She took a sip of her drink but Matt only had eyes on her. He let her put her drink down before he leaned into her, placing his hand on her cheek and kissing her plump lips. It was slow at first, Matt wanting her to feel like it wasn't just him wanting her. She let him deepen the kiss as his tongue graced her lip. They kissed for a few minutes before they needed to breathe but they were in their own little bubble, the rest of Molly's forgotten, the way it was every time they were together.

"Gabby." He breathed out, willing his heart to stop thumping so fast.

"Take me back home." She whispered, her body and her heart wanting what naturally came next. Matt looked her in the eyes, wanting to make sure she wanted this too and she smiled at him. He kissed her one more time and put some money on the table before they left, Matt's hand on her back, ushering her out of Molly's. They drove back to Gabby's place, leaving Matt's truck at Molly's to be picked up again in the morning. The drive was mostly quiet, Matt running his hand over her leg a few times, making Gabby wish they were home already. He helped her out of the driver's side once they were parked and Matt kissed her as she closed her door, his restraint out the window.

Gabby pulled him by the hand as they made their way to her floor, their lips meeting once again when they made it to the landing. Gabby fumbled with her keys before they managed to make it inside, Matt pulling her to him for a kiss once moved their bodies in the direction of Gabby's room, stopping short of the door.

"Gabby." He breathed out when they needed air. "Are you sure about this?" Her eyes were clouded with want and need and love and she was ready to let Matt in. She silenced his thoughts with a kiss and smiled.

"Yes. Make love to me Matt." Those simple words were all Matt needed. He pressed his lips to hers again in a tender kiss as Gabby pushed his jacket off of his shoulders, letting it fall on the ground as they made it in her bedroom.

TBC

* * *

 **OMG! Did I just do that? LOLL Here's a little something to keep your mind on next chapter. I really hoped you liked it and you'll take a few secs to leave a review. Stay tuned next week for more - Sarra**


	21. The Heat

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and the kids names.**

 **a/n: First of all, I want to say thank you to everyone who left reviews on the last chapter as well as everyone who followed and favourited this story.**

 **Second, I want to apologize for taking so long before posting this update. Yes I was on "vacation" BUT I stumbled on a bad case of writer's block. I often sat at my desk in front of my computer for a little of inspiration that took a lot of time to come to me so I hope you'll enjoy this chapter.**

* * *

Matt slowly pushed Gabby towards her bed, his lips still attached to hers. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he gently eased her down on top of the sheets. His lips trailed down her jaw and found the spot behind her ear that he knew would drive her crazy. A soft moan escaped her lips as he did so, and her fingers tugged gently on his hair. He moved his lips down her neck, slowly, wanting to give her all the attention she deserved. When his lips found hers again, she let go of his neck and her hands slowly moved down his sides, coming to rest on his hips.

"Gabby." Her fingers were sending shivers through his body. She slowly lifted his shirt up his body and over his head before claiming his lips again. Matt hadn't felt like this in a long time but he didn't want this to be rushed between them, he wanted to do it right. His left hand snaked around her waist and his right one cupped her cheek before he kissed her again. His lips felt soft against hers and when his tongue pressed for entrance against her lips, she let him in. Gabby didn't want to fight what she was feeling tonight and so she let Matt make her feel like she was the most important thing in his world.

He kissed her lips tenderly, his tongue asking her for permission, which she granted and they made out for a few minutes before Matt kissed his way down her jaw and behind her ear again, Gabby's body coming up to mold itself to his. Then his lips moved to her collar bone, her breathing getting heavier while his heart pounded in his chest. He gently ran his hand over her arm, goosebumps forming there as he went along. When his lips left her body, he was propped up on his arm, his body hovering over Gabby's, his right hand now resting on her hip. They looked into each other's eyes, both panting lightly, Matt wanting to give Gabby an opportunity to change her mind. When she raised her body flush against his, he knew that it was ok to keep going. He ran his fingers along the hem of her shirt, making contact with her stomach as he went. Each touch made Gabby's heart beat faster, her want for Matt growing with it. He kissed the skin he found under his fingertips, revelling in the softness of her skin.

"Matt." She moaned softly.

"We don't need to rush this, just enjoy it." He whispered and pressed his lips to her stomach again. Her hand came to rest on his head, her fingers grasping his short hair. He pushed her top higher up on her body, Gabby arching her back to help him in his action. He kissed her skin as he moved her shirt even higher, Gabby raising her arms so he could remove it completely. His lips found hers again as she wrapped her arms around his neck, their bodies moving as though they were magnetized. They made out for several minutes before coming up for air, Gabby's eyes hooded wit want. She managed to flip them around so Matt was under her now and she kissed his lips briefly before moving her kisses down his stubbled jaw, then down his neck, Matt's pants growing tighter as she went along. Her lips left a trail of fire on his body as she kissed her way down his chest, finally making it all the way down to his waist. His hands bunched up the material of her sheets as Gabby teased him with open mouth kisses along the waistline of his pants.

"Gabby." He growled. She was doing things to him that left his mind reeling.

"Just enjoy it." She smiled against his skin, sending a new wave of fire through him. Her fingers worked on undoing his pants and she pushed them lower down his body as she kissed her way up towards his lips, pushing his pants all the way down with her feet. Matts hands rested on her hips as she deepened the kiss, his want for her pressing against her pelvis.

"You are entirely overdressed." He said in between kisses, turning them so he was once again on top of her. He kissed her lips tenderly and started trailing down kisses the same way she did to him a few moments ago. As his kisses traveled down her mid section, her fingers instinctively locked through his hair, her breathing laboured and soft moans escaping her lips when his found a spot on her body she liked. He looked up at her for a brief second before his fingers worked the button or her pants, the rational part of his brain making sure she wanted him to continue. He lowered them down slowly, placing soft kisses along her legs as he brought them down and discarded them on the floor. Matt ran a hand along Gabby's soft leg, placing kisses where his fingers once were.

It had been a long time for Matt and he wanted his relationship with Gabby go somewhere but he wasn't about to just take what he wanted from her. He wanted to make it as pleasurable for her as he knew it would be for him. His fingers grazed the inside of her thigh, eliciting a gasp from Gabby, making Matt stop.

"Don't stop, please." She whispered. His fingers looped in the waistband of her lace underwear and slowly slid them down her legs. He kissed his way back to her lips just as his fingers slid in her warmth, his lips swallowing her moan. He moved in and out of her at a slow pace before inserting a second finger, he wanted her to be ready for him. He kissed her neck as he continued with his actions, her fingers grasping his shoulder, her nails no doubt leaving a mark behind. Matt pushed the strap of Gabby's bra away from her shoulder and planted a sweet kiss there, the single piece of material the only thing left between them. Gabby whimpered as Matt removed his fingers, missing him there already. He wrapped an arm around her back and unhooked her bra, moving the strap down one shoulder before moving aside on her other shoulder, helping her out of it. He looked Gabby from head to toe, a blush creeping on her cheeks and neck and a smile graced his lips.

"You look absolutely, beautiful." He kissed her lips again before moving down her neck and positioning himself over her. She pulled his body down to hers and he slowly entered her, a moan escaping both their lips as he did. He pushed all the way into her, resting on his arm and letting her get used to him there. When she moved under him, he understood what she wanted. He moved in and out of her slowly at first, his head in the crook of her neck, body heat radiating off both of them. They moved in sync for a while, Matt curling his fingers around one of the iron poles of Gabby's headboard to help restrain himself from letting his body do exactly what he wanted to her. With each thrust, Gabby pressed her fingers a bit harder against his shoulder, enjoying the feeling he was awakening inside of her. They rolled around in bed and Gabby was on top now, wanting to give Matt some pleasure as well. She moved up and down on him, a growl escaping his lips as she moved all the way up before going back down slowly and repeating her actions. He moved his hands on each side of her back as her head fell back with pleasure, this thumbs grazing her breasts, a moan escaping Gabby's plump lips.

They made love for hours, exploring each other's body as they did. Matt memorized every please where he knew she felt more pleasure as they went. They each took control a few times before Matt felt his release was near. He flipped them around one more time so he was on top again. He moved in and out of her faster, Gabby meeting him thrust for thrust, feeling her own release close. Heat pooled in her abdomen as Matt attached his lips to her neck and thrust harder. He felt her muscles contract around him and he pushed one last time before a powerful orgasm ripped through them both, their names slipping off each other's tongue as they did. Matt held his body weight on his arms so he wouldn't crush her as they breathed heavily, a thin layer of sweat covering their bodies.

Gabby leaned up and kissed Matt on the lips as he rolled them onto their side. He removed a strand of hair that was sticking on her forehead as they ended their kiss. "You were, amazing." He kissed her again, Gabby hiding her face in his chest as he pulled her closer to him.

"Thank you." She whispered, her face still hiding in the comfort of Matt's embrace.

"Thank you for what?" He pulled away slightly and made her look up at him.

"For being so patient with me."

"We have all the time in the world Gabby." He kissed her forehead as she sighed.

"You were incredible." Her body was still revelling in what had just happened. Her body was alive now and she never wanted it to go away, ever. Matt leaned down and kissed her. Slowly at first but it didn't take long until in became intense and passionate. Their bodies were feeling the pull again but Matt wanted this night to be perfect. He pulled her as close to him as he possibly could and kissed her on the top of her head.

"Get some sleep." He smiled down at her. She snuggled into him and quickly enough, they both fell asleep quickly after saying goodnight and sharing one last kiss.

* * *

Matt was the first to wake up the next morning, Gabby still snuggled closely to him. He moved a strand of her that had fallen in her eyes during the night and returned his hand to her hip. The sheets were pulled up to their waist and Matt marvelled in Gabby's beauty. He removed his hand from her waist again and gently ran his fingers against her side, shivers moving across her body but she was still sleeping. Matt closed his eyes and let the sleep claim him once again.

Gabby woke up a little later to Matt's arms still wrapped around her waist. She noticed the red blinking numbers on her alarm clock saying it was ten thirty and her stomach grumbled quietly. She moved out of Matt's embrace carefully so she wouldn't wake him up and she pulled his shirt over head head, taking a fresh pair of panties and going to the kitchen to start breakfast. She gathered all the vegetables she needed with some eggs to make omelettes and she started making them while humming a Spanish tune. Matt woke up to find himself alone in bed. Gabby's side was still hot so he imagined she hadn't been awake for long. He managed to find his boxers in the middle of Gabby's room but couldn't for the life of him find his shirt. He moved towards the bedroom door and spied Gabby at the counter, wearing his shirt, making breakfast.

He quietly made his way to her and placed his hands on her hips. "I was looking for this." He whispered, kissing her temple as she chuckled.

"Do you want it back?" She said suggestively as she kept her eyes on what she was making.

"It looks better on you. How did you sleep?" He wrapped his arms around her waist.

"I haven't slept like that in a while."

"Me either." He leaned down and moved her hair aside and kissed her neck. She was sexy standing here dressed in his shift, making breakfast.

"As much as I would love to continue last night, I'm hungry." She was already breathing heavily.

"So am I." They stood there in silence as Gabby made both omelettes before he let go of her and took the two plates to the living room where they ate on the couch, silence between them still and Gabby's legs propped up on Matt's lap. "This is the best omelette I've ever put in my mouth."

"Thanks. Everything I know about cooking I learned from my mom."

"I'll have to thank her some day then." He smiled at her and she returned it before Matt took the plates and put them on the table, pulling Gabby to his chest, silence coming over them again. They were comfortable sitting there together with the morning sun filtering through the patio door. "What time do you have to pick the kids up?" He was the first to break the silence.

"I told my mom I'd text her."

"We have time then. Christie isn't bringing the girls back until later this afternoon."

"Shower with me?" She turned her body so she was facing him. He got up and hoisted her up with him, letting her wrap her legs around his waist. He carried her to the bathroom with his lips attached to hers, giggles escaping her lips as he set her down.

They showered togther and made love again before they spent lunch together and lounged around her place before they had to part to spend some quality time with their kids, a promise to see each other again soon. He pulled her to him and leaned down to kiss her one last time before leaving.

* * *

 **SOOOO, it finally happened. I had a lot of trouble getting this chapter written mainly because I wanted Matt and Gabby's first time to be special and not rushed in any way but also thanks to that stupid writers block.**

 **This chapter goes out to JustNevine before she goes on an amazing journey into the US for a whole year, I hope you enjoy yourself :)**

 **Please leave a review before you go so I know what you guys thought about this latest chapter and hopefully I'll see you guys next week for another update. - Sarra**


	22. Conversations pt 2

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and the kids names.**

 **a/n: I'll keep this short. Thank you to everyone for the amazing reviews and for supporting this story.**

* * *

Matt drove back home, his thoughts on Gabby the whole time. His mind kept giving him flashes of their bodies moving together, the way her skin felt under his lips and her fingers pressing against his shoulders. The way she was making him feel was beyond anything he had felt before, even with Hallie. When he wasn't with her, his thoughts were invaded by her and the only time when he could focus on something was when he was with his girls and at fires because he couldn't afford to have his mind anywhere else. He dropped his keys on the table as he walked in, the house quiet since the girls had not yet returned. He proceeded in doing some trivial chore to keep his mind from going to his nigt with Gabby because the house was a mess. About two hours later, there was a knock on the door so Matt went to answer it.

"Daddy." Grace jumped in his arms, Matt's stance shaky as he held her.

"Hey baby girl, I missed you." He hugged her tight before putting her back on the floor and taking Emma in his arms. Christie was here with the girls, they had decided to have dinner as a family so Violet was there as well. "Hey kiddo." He greeted Violet with a hug after he put Emma down.

"Hey uncle Matt." She smiled at him.

The girls went to play in the playroom downstairs while Matt was left with Christie.

"I brought some supplied to make dinner. I figured you'd be missing a few things since you haven't been here much laterly." She raised two bags full of food.

"Thanks Chris. I think I have snacks left, I'll have to go to the store next 48 off."

"There's things in there for tonight and until then. So how was your date with Gabby." Matt had told her that he was going at Molly's but she knew better so he didn't even try to deny it.

"It went great. she's amazing Christie, I can't wait for you to meet her."

"I'm happy for you Matt, really."

"Thanks. It's unbelievable what she does to me." They emptied the bags together and put everything away, a smile plastered on Matt's face the whole time.

"And how are her kids?" Christie wanted to know more about the girl that held her brother's attention because he deserved to be happy after all te heartache.

"They are great. Luis and Fillippe are like little men. They're polite and so curious and Valentina, she's just the sweetest little girl. Gabby's doing a great job by herself with them." He felt a sense of pride talking about her and how strong she was with everything she went through.

"It can't be easy raising three kids by yourself while dealing through the grief."

"You can see that it's hard but I think she's taking it one day at a time. I know I don't want to push her into anything." An image of the moment after they made love popped in his mind. He knew he wanted her to feel loved again and he wanted her to be in control when they were together.

Matt and Christie started preparing dinner together, something they enjoyed doing since getting close. Christie told Matt about the previous nigt with the girls, both of them laughing while Matt tried to imagine the girls doing a little show in the living room dressed in old costumes. Food was almost done and Matt put it in the oven just as the doorbell chimed.

"Are you expecting someone else tonight?" They looked at each other.

"No, it's just supposed to me you and me. I'll be back." He walked to his front door and opened it to reveal Kelly just standing there. "What are you doing here?" Not that Matt minded that Severide was coming over, he just wasn' expecting him.

"I thought I'd come by to see how hot your night was." He laughed as he walked past Matt where he spotted Christie leaning against the kitchen door. "Oh, hey Christie." He smiled at her.

"Hi Kelly, are you joining us for dinner?" She questionned, knowing Matt wouldn't mind that she did.

"Yeah, sure." Both Matt and Kelly looked at each other, Kelly not insisting on bringing up the subject of Matt and Gabby while his sister was there. The stove beeped about an hour later and the girls were called to chow and came up like a hoard of elephants.

* * *

After Matt left, Gabby scrambled to clean up the place and drove to her parents house. She was coming later that originally planned and hoped that her mother wasn't too mad. As she walked into the house after knocking, she heard three pairs of feet running in her general direction and she waited for the initial attack from the front that it didn't take long before it happened. Both boys were there first with their longer legs and Valentina arrived a few moments later, almost knocking her to the ground.

"I missed you mama." Fillippe snuggled into her.

"I missed you too buddy. Were you nice for Abuela and Abuelo?"

"They were very nice." Her father stood up the stairs, a smile on his face.

"Hey dad, sorry I'm late. I know I told mom I'd come sooner." She started but was immediately cut off by him.

"It's ok sweetie, we don't mind having our grandkids here."

"Thanks dad." She moved farther in once the kids had let go of her and she hugged him. "Where's mom?"

"In the garden." They all walked out, the kids starting to run around the yard, laughing.

"Hey mom." She hugged her as they stepped outside.

"Hey sweetie, how was yor night?" She knew she wasn't looking for details, just to know that her daughter was enjoying the little time alone she had.

"It was great mom, thanks. Sorry I'm late though."

"Noncesense, we love having them. It makes up for lost time."

"How about you guys come over for dinner tonight, It would be great to have you over, it's been a while." Both her parents looked at each other and smiled.

"We'd love to." Her dad answered.

"Great, I'll stop by the store for some food and I'll see you guys later." She hugged both her parents before gathering all the kids things with her dad's help and she was soon off. She did a quick stop at the store to get everything she needed to make her grand mother's mac and cheese and headed back home. The kids went to play with their toys in their room, leaving Gabby alone to her thoughts.

It was a good thing that Gabby knew the recipe by heart because her brain wouldn't stop flooding her with memories of the previous night. She remembered feeling his fingers glide over her skin, just at the bottom of her shirt before his lips followed. Her body was heating up just thinking about it and the look he had in his eyes when he saw her naked for the first time made her body tighten with want. He had this affect on her that she couldn't wrap her head around. Their bodies felt like they belonged together as they moved as one, a feeling that she hadn't felt in a very long time and it made her happy. She was preparing everything with a smile on her face. Her parents arrived a short while later, her father going to find the kids while her mother helped finish dinner. Gabby always loved cooking with her mother and she had taught her so much.

"So how was your evening with Matt?" She looked sideways to her daughter and smiled.

"I never said I was going out with Matt." Her cheeks were already feeling like they were on fire.

"Yes you did. So how was it?" She asked again.

"It was great mom, he was the perfect gentleman." She blushed more if that was even possible.

"That's good to hear." She was startled by her father's voice, the red instantly going down to her neck. It took her a few seconds to recover before she returned to cooking with her mom while her dad watched, something he had done a lot when she was a teenager. Once everything was cooked, her parents helped her set the table and serve everyone before calling the kids for dinner.

* * *

The Casey household was filled with laughter during dinner, something that Matt loved. When dinner was over and the dishes done, Christie helped Matt to get the girls ready for bed before she left with Violet, leaving Matt and Kelly alone.

"So, how was last night?" Kelly chuckled as they sat down on the couch with a beer in hand.

"It was amazing Sev. She is amazing." He took a sip of his beer, his mind sending him to last night again.

"I can see that." He laughed, it had been a while since the last time he had seen Matt like that.

"It's just she is beautiful, confident, she's fiesty and she's a great mom." Matt felt like a teenager, a grown father of two teenager when it came to Gabby.

"This looks good on you man."

"Thanks."

"You know, I never thought that I'd have something that came even close to what Hallie and I had before the girls were born but Gabby, she's amazing. I feel like the need to be with her all the time and she's in my head ever since I met her the first time. It's crazy right?" For a moment, Matt's brain brought him back to reality. He couldn't believe how fast they were moving and how quickly he became close to Gabby in the past few months.

"Seeing you happy like this, I don't think it's crazy. You should just enjoy it."

"Oh I am." He chuckled as they both drank their beers.

Matt couldn't stop talking about Gabby while his mind and his body ached to have her close to him even if they were together just a few hours before in the day.

"Just go see her man." Kelly finally exclaimed, a smile on his lips.

"I can't just go there, I have the girls." Matt protested.

"It's ok, I'll stay here with the girls, you go see your girl." Kelly patted him on the back before he got up.

He grabbed his keys and hopped in his truck, going in the direction of Gabby's appartment. It wasn't all that late and he knew she'd still be awake so he drove with a smile plastered on her face. When he turned the ignition off and put his keys in his pockets, he exhaled deeply. He couldn't believe that he had taken Severide's advice and drove all the way out here but he needed to see her again tonight and kiss her. He breathed in and out a few times before getting out of his truck and going into her building. Normally he needed to get buzzed up but someone was coming out as he entered, making it a surprise for her now. He knocked on her door and waited for her to come answer. When she did, he didn't even wait for her to talk, he just moved closer to her and placed his hands on her hips before pressing his lips to her in a hungry kiss.

After the initial shock, she wrapped her arms around Matt's neck and kissed him back with as much passion. It lasted for a few long seconds before they needed to part for some air, everything around them fading away. Matt was pulled back to reality when he heard Gabby's voice.

"Matt." Her voice held more than it did after they usually kissed, his instinct telling him that his timing wasn't perfect. He looked over her shoulder when something or rather someone caught his eyes, Gabby had company. A sense of fear washed through him when he realised that her parents were there, watching them.

"Oh my god." Slipped from Matt's lips as a furious blush of complete and utter embarassment came to his face.

TBC..

* * *

 **a/n:Ok so this idea of having Matt and Gabby think of each other the day after came to me with the help of fangirl2821 and how they can't keep their thoughts in check but that ending came to me like a lightbulb moment so what will happen next? How will if go with Gabby's parents?**

 **I really hope you liked this chapter and that you'll take a few seconds to review it before you go. - Sarra**


	23. In the hot seat

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and the kids names.**

 **a/n: First of all, I want to thank everyone who's still suporting this story. The reviews have gone down a bit but i'm glad that a lot of you are still enjoying this story so thanks for all the favourites and follows.**

 **Second of all, I know it's the second time I do it in a short time but I'm sorry for my lack in updates. I'm lacking time right now and the pain in my left hand from my tumble is flaring up and is quite ANNOYING so it's preventing me from writing a lot but here is the next chapter.**

* * *

Matt felt the colour drain from his face in the exact moment his eyes came in contact with who he assumed was Gabby's father. Never had he felt so embarraed in his life because he felt like a teenager being caught kissing his girlfriend on the doorstep late at night by her parents.

"I'm sorry." He whispered when he moved his eyes back to Gabby's

He could see her blush travel down to her neck, meaning he had some effect on her. "What do I owe this surprise to?"

"I wanted to kiss you again." He leaned down and gave her a sweet peck on the lips. "I didn't mean to interrupt your evening with your parents."

"It's fine, just as long as you're ok coming in for a few minutes." Their conversation lasted only a few short seconds before she smiled at him and he pulled away from her and lead her in the kitchen, his hand on the small of her back. "Mom, dad, I'd like you to meet Matthew Casey. Matt, this is my dad Edouardo and my mother Esmeralda." Matt shook her father's hand.

"It's very nice to meet you sir, Mrs Dawson." He smiled at Gabby's mother as they sat down at the dinner table. Matt was nervous even if he was trying to hide it and to anyone else, it was barely noticable but having worked for so many years as a detective for the Chicago Police Department, Gabby's father had noticed it.

"It's very nice to meet you young man." Gabby's mother returned Matt's smile. "Gabby's talked a lot about you." Matt looked at Gabby and smiled.

"You have an amazing daughter."

"She tells me that you work for the Fire Department." Gabby's father was going straight to the point. This wasn't a normal conversation, it was an interrogation.

"Yes sir. I'm lieutenant of truck 81 at Firehouse 51."

"That's very impressive." Esmeralda said.

"Thank you ma'am." Matt slowly eased his arm on the back of Gabby's chair.

"No need for formalities, call me Esmeralda." Gabby was glad that her mother was being so nice and she only hoped that her father wouldn't embarass her too much and scare Matt away.

"Firehouse 51 is a very busy house, I know Chief Boden very well."

"He's a great chief, 51 is like family."

"Dad." Gabby protested, she knew exactly what her father was doing.

"It's ok Gabby." Matt smiled at her, putting her at ease. Matt could see that he was very protective of his daughter and he was only trying to make sure the man she was seeing was good for her. "I also have a construction company on the side but I've been selective of the jobs I take since becoming a father." Both Matt and Gabby looked to their left when they heard two little feet moving against the carpet.

"What's wrong baby girl?" Gabby got up when she saw tears in Valentina's eyes.

"Bad dream." She pouted. It had started a few weeks back and Gabby cuddled her and she sat back down with her on her lap.

"Hey sweet girl." Matt smiled at her, pushing a ruely curl from her eyes. "Did you have a bad dream?" She simply nodded, her head resting on her mother's shoulder. " I'll go chase them away." He excused himself with a smile and went to her room before going to the restroom and coming back. "They are all gone." He kissed Valentina's hair before sitting back down.

"Gabby tells me you have twin daughters. My grandsons seem to like them very much."

"Yes, Emma and Grace. They are the best and they like your grandsons too. They've begged me for another play date soon."

"I'm pretty sure we can do that. We'll just have to coordonate our schedules." Gabby smiled at Matt. Her father could see the constant smiled the two of them were sharing together and he seemed like a nice young man but there was something bothering him and he had to get to the bottom of it. They kept the conversation casual as Gabby brought Valentina back to her bed, the little girl having fallen asleep against her shoulder.

"How about some coffee?" Esmeralda asked everyone and they all nodded. "Come help me Gabriella." it was clear her mother wanted some alone time with her, leaving the two men together. She didn't quite approuve of her husbands scare tactics but she also loved her daughter and wanted her to be with a good man.

"You don't need help with the coffee mom. Why did you leave Matt to be fed to the wolves?"

"He seems like a wonderful man. And he's good looking." Esmeralda was smiling while Gabby's face turned red.

"Mom." Gabby complained.

"What, he is. I'm just happy that you have someone in your life, you seem happier." All she ever wanted for her daughter was for her to be happy and seeing a smile on her face again was good.

"I'm getting there mom, slowly. Matt makes it better and I want to see where this goes."

"Thank I support you. Come on, let's so save him from your father." She laughed as they took the coffee to the table.

* * *

Once the two women were out of earshot, Edouardo didn't waist any time on questionning Matt.

"Their mother must be very proud of them." He tried a different approach this time.

"Their mother isn't in the picture anymore, I have sole custody of them."

"I'm sorry to hear about that Matt."

"I do the best that I can but I have a lot of people who help me with them, including chief Boden.

"And what do your parents do?"

"My father passed away and I haven't spoken with my mother in many years." Matt didn't give a lot of details there because it wasn't something he talked about that often and since he hadn't told Gabby about it, he didn't want to tell her father first.

"Mama, I heard Matt's voice, is he here?" Luis walked into the kitchen area, eyes half closed.

"Don't be so rude to Mr. Casey Luis." Respect for the adults was very important in the Dawson family and this case wasn't different.

"It's ok Mr. Dawson, I'm the one who told him he could call me Matt. Hey what's up bud? Couldn't sleep?" The boy came closer and hugged Matt.

"Had to go to the bathroom and I heard voices. Are Grace and Emma here too?" He suddenly perked up at the thought of them being there.

"No, they're at home in bed with their godfather but I'll check with your mom so we can do something fun soon, how's that sound?" Luis smiled and nodded. "Come on, I'll go tuck you in." Matt got up and Luis followed and they went into the boys room just as the woman came back out with the coffees.

"Where's Matt?" Gabby questionned her father but she didn't even give him the opportunity to talk before she talked again. "Did you scare him away dad? What did you tell him."

"Nothing." Matt's voice could be heard where the rooms were. "I was tucking Luis in."

"Oh." Gabby blushed from embarassment of going off on her father but Matt kissed her cheek and they all sat down to enjoy the coffee and some more casual talk.

"I should get going." Matt looked at his watch and saw that it was almost ten. "I don't want to let Severide on the loose for too long." He chuckled making Gabby laugh.

"I'll walk you to the door."

"It was nice to meet you sir." He shook Gabby's dad's hand again and smiled at her mom. "Esmeralda, it's a pleasure."

"It was nice to meet you too son." Edouardo nodded and Esmeralda smiled back at Matt.

Gabby walked Matt back to the door. "I'm sorry about my dad." She said once they were both on the other side of her front door.

"It's ok. I'm sorry for barging in on your dinner with your parents."

"With that kiss, I won't complain." She blushed. Matt pulled her closer to him and leaned down to kiss her. It started tenderly but quickly became more passionate, her arms coming to rest against his neck as their tongues battled for control. He leaned his forehead against hers once their kiss ended.

"Neither will I. Goodnight Gabby." He smiled at her and kissed her again.

"Good night Matt." she smiled at him before he turned around and left.

She returned inside where her parents were picking up the table and soon after, they left, leaving Gabby alone with thoughts of Matt and their kiss.

* * *

 **a/n: So Matt comes face to face with Gabby's parents and her father's questioning turns into an interrogation.**

 **Next up: Will Matt be able to tell Gabby about his past or will her father find out first and confront him about it?**

 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter and please please take a few minutes to leave a review because it always help with writing ;) - Sarra**


	24. Coming clean

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and the kids names.**

 **a/n: Thank you to the fifteen of you who reviewed last chapter and those who reviewed it via twitter. 301 REVIEWS!First ever and I'm super excited about coconut (who doesn't have an account on here) I'm working on Coming Home but it takes a bit more time to write since they're longer chapters. If you have twitter, come find me on there my handle is sarrabr_4, I'd love to chat.**

 **So I promised some extra angst to Karen1971 because I forgot to tag her on last chapter ;) hihi so I hope you guys enjoy this one.**

* * *

Matt walked into 51 the next morning after dropping the girls off at daycare. Everyone was sitting at their usual spots, a cup of coffee in their hands. He grabbed himself one and took the paper to see what was new this morning.

"So how did it go last night?" Severide sat down next to him, a smirk on his face. When Matt had returned home, he had left without asking for much details.

"Apart from the fact that I walked in and just kissed her under the very watchful eyes of her parents, good."

"Isn't she Antonio Dawson's sister?"

"Yes. I didn't make the connection at first."

"And wasn't her father a detective for CPD?"

"Oh yeah."

"You're in the doghouse." He laughed patting his back and getting up when Mills put the breakfast out.

"Hey, I'm very charming." Matt called out right before the alarm called them off to a structure fire.

* * *

Edouardo Dawson made his way into 21st the next morning, he needed to talk with Antonio.

"Good morning Sargent." He greeted Platt who smiled at him.

"Detective Dawson, it's good to see you. Come to see your son?" She inquired leaning against the front desk.

"Yes, is he in?"

"They're all there, they have no case yet."

"Thanks Trudy." He smiled back at him.

"Anytime Edouardo." She buzzed him up and he went up the IU stairs to find the whole team at their desks. Both Dawson's locked eyes as he walked farther in.

"Pops, what are you doing here?" Antonio went to greet his father with a hug.

"Can't I come to see my son work?"

"No." He chuckled.

"Edouardo." Voighted called when he stepped out of his office. "What brings you by?" He came and shook his hand.

"Came to have a word with my son, mind if I steal him for a few seconds?"

"My office is all your's."

"Thanks Hank." He motionned for his son to follow him and they went into Voight's office.

"Is something wrong dad?" Antonio wasn't used to have his dad drop by since he retired from CPD.

"Nothing life threatening."

"Than what are you doing here? It's not like you to just drop by."

"What do you know about Matt Casey?" There was no way he was going to dance around the subject.

"Gabby's boyfriend Matt Casey? Did he do something to her?" He didn't know Matt all that much, only having delt with him previously on a few arson cases his firehouse had responded to.

"He hasn't done anything no but he stopped by your sister's place yesterday and he seemed nervous around us. I wanted to know what you knew about him."

"Oh course he'd be nervous dad. I'm pretty sure you interrogated him right under everyone's nose." Antonio laughed out loud as he leaned against Voight's desk.

"Maybe."

"I've worked on a few arson cases with him 51 responded to. Single dad of twin girls, works construction on the side. Most is from what Gabby told me."

"And what about his family, what do you know?"

"What is this dad, twenty questions? I don't know the guy personally but he seems like a good guy."

"Can you just look into it quietly for me? I'm just trying to protect my daughter and my grandkids."

Antonio shook his head and smiled. "Sure thing but don't be surprised if nothing comes up."

"Thanks Tonio. Call me when you find something."

"Will do dad." They both left the office and Edouardo thanked Voight again for letting him use his office and he said bye to everyone before going back home to his wife, hoping she wouldn't get suspicious.

Antonio returned to his office and took the phone on his desk, dialling a familiar number. "It's Antonio Dawson in Intelligence, I need you to pull everything you have on a Matthew Casey. Thanks." He hung up just in time when Voight came back out of his office to tell them they had a case.

* * *

"Fire Department, CALL OUT!" Casey yelled, going through room after room of the old house. The floors were creaking under his feet, making it difficult to make the difference between old flooring and an structurely unsound building. Mouch and Herrmann were right behind him, helping with the search. They finally found most of the family in the next room, three kids with their mom hiding under a bed. Mouch took the mom with the oldest boy who seemed about twelve and Herrmann took the little girl who seemed to be around four, leaving me with the extremely frightened two year old little boy.

"It's going to be ok." I tried to soothe the little boy. "We're going to get you out of here." I tucked him in my jacket to protect him as best I could. Both Mouch and Herrmann were ahead of me going down the stairs, both careful not to fall down. I could see them exit the house in front of me but just as I hit the last stair, my foot went right through. My first instinct was to protect the boy, making me fall at an odd angle and hit my head on the banister, a groan escaping my lips.

I could feel some blood trickle on the side of my face, blinking to stop the black spots that were dancing in front of my eyes. "Help." I called into the radio before darkness came. When I opened my eyes next, I was in the ambo with Chilli, she was taking my vitals.

"Welcome back lieutenant. How are you feeling?"

"Like I took a beating. How's the kid?"

"On his way to Lakeshore. Can you tell me your name, age and the name of your girls?"

"Matthew alan Casey, thirty two, Grace Evelyn Casey and Emma Sophie Casey. Good enough?" He smiled.

"No concussion so that's good. You'll need stitches for that gash on your forehead and your hand."

"Just as long as that family are ok, this is nothing."

We arrived at Lakeshore right behind the family who were treated for minor injuries. Chilli and Shay wheeled my gurney into trauma 1.

"You have to stop doing this Casey, you'll give me a heart attack." Shay quipped and she helped me in a sitting position.

"You still love me."

"You're lucky I do." Shay stayed with him as a nurse came in and cleaned his wounds and stitched him up before giving him recommendations and sending him on his way.

"Don't tell Gabby about this when you go see her please." Matt knew Shay went up to peds every time they came in with victims just to say hi and he didn't want her to worry about these kinds of things.

"Sure. I'll be back Chilli." Shay left Matt to return to 81 and she made her way upstairs to see Gabby.

Once the guys returned to 51, Matt went to his office to write his incident report so he'd have it done before the end of shift, he hated being behind on his paperwork. Once it was done and given to Boden, he returned to his office and lied down on his bunk, his good hand under his head and the other one resting on his chest. Someone caught his eye as he looked through his window out of the bunk area, Gabby's father making his way to Boden's office. He didn't think much of it, remembering that he said they knew each other for a long time. His mind did take him back to last night when he was sitting at Gabby's dinner table, her father questioning him about his family.

He knew he'd have to come clean to Gabby about his past, not wanting to hide anything from her. She had been so open and honest about her late husband that he wanted to be open with her about his abusive past. He took his phone out and texted her. **I was wondering if you wanted to come over tomorrow for dinner with the kids, could be fun.** He smiled at her reply and set his phone back in his pocket, closing his eyes for a moment. the rest of shift was fairly quiet with only a few calls, letting him rest his hand that was sore and his head throbbing. He received a picture from Christie late in the afternoon of the girls with face make-up at the park, there was a little party there today.

They had a big call in the middle of the night but Matt felt rested enough and it was quickly dealt with before they returned to the house. Matt left quickly after shift ended to pick up the girls and he wanted to tell them about the accident so they didn't worry too much. He got them home and down for a nap early in the afternoon so they'd be ready for when Gabby showed up with the kids. He was tidying the house around three when there was a knock on the door but he wasn't expecting anyone so he went to open the door.

After Shay left the peds department, Gabby received a kid from a house fire and she knew right away that 51 had responded to it, it was in the file but the more she read, the more she breathed heavily. She called down to the ER to get some more information about the injured firefighter that had protected little Ely from more harmful injuries and her heart just about stopped when she found out it was Matt. She was told he had stitches to his forehead and his hand from his fall through the stair and she tried not to let it distract her too much from the rest of her day. She picked the boys from her parents house and Valentina from daycare before she went home to fix dinner and get them ready for bed. Matt had texted her earlier in the day to invite her and the kids over for dinner the following evening and she didn't hesitate to tell him yes but now she was trying not to go over the firehouse to see with her own eyes that he was ok but she knew she couldn't and she figured she'd wait in the morning to go see him at his house.

She woke up and went to the park with the kids and put them down for a small nap after lunch to have them rested when she went to Matt's later. They were so excited though that they barely slept an hour and Gabby got everything ready. She was tired of waiting so she buckled the three kids in her car and headed it Matt's, it was almost three. She took Valentina in her arms and Luis and Fhilippe followed closely on each side of her. They went up the stairs and she started knocking on Matt's door. He answered her with a smile.

"Hey, what are you doing here so early?"

"Did you think I wouldn't find out about it?" Matt's smile faltered and he took Valentina from Gabby's arms since she was requesting him with her pudgy little arms.

"I wasn't trying to hide them but I didn't want to worry you." The boys said hi just in time for the girls to come boucing down the stairs.

"Luis, Filippe, you're here." They squealed together. "Hi Tina." They smiled at Gabby's daughter in his arms.

"How about you girls go show them the new blocks aunt Christie got you?" Matt finally put Valentina down and the five of them went downstairs without argument, leaving both adults alone.

"Where's your first aid kit, I'll change your dressings."

"They don't need to be changed just yet." He tried but Gabby gave him a death stare, daring him to argue. He went into the bathroom and came back with the kit.

"Sit down." Matt recognized Gabby's stern mom voice and quickly sat down, giving her his hand first.

"It's nothing really, it stopped hurting a while ago."

"I'll be the judge of that." Matt let her check him over and change his dressings, finally satisfied with everything.

"Why didn't you come tell me you were hurt? We could have avoided some unnecessary worrying on my part."

"That's why I told Shay not to tell you, I didn't want you to worry too much about this."

"Did you really think I wouldn't find out? It was written in the kids file, black on white."

"I'm sorry." He pulled her to him on the couch and they cuddled while talking about their day while they waited for dinner time. Matt put the lasagna on the table and called everyone to eat, the mini army running back up the stairs. They all sat down and Gabby put Valentina in the booster seat Matt still had from then the girls were younger. All four kids were talking loudly and it sounded like they were twenty in the small kitchen.

"That's enough, the four of you." Gabby said loud enough to be overheard over all the noise, all four kids stopping half way through their words and looking at her. "This is a kitchen not a debate room." The kids didn't need to be told twice and Matt tried to keep a chuckle in which got him a slap on the arm from her. They ate in a more normal setting, the kids chatting away more quietly. Once everyone was done and everything was cleaned up, they went outside so the kids could run around in the yard, everyone getting fresh air.

Matt and Gabby stayed quiet for a little bit watching the kids play but Matt had a lot on his mind. He wanted to tell Gabby about his past but didn't know if this was the right time to bring it up.

"Where's your head at Matt?" She had been looking at Matt for the pas few minutes and she could see the clogs turning in his head. He looked down at her and sighed.

"Your dad got me thinking last night." He started.

"I'm so sorry about that by the way. He has a way of going into detective mode from time to time."

"It's ok, I get that he's protective of you, specially after everything you've been through."

"Still he doesn't have the right to embarrass you by asking you all these personal questions."

"It's just that you've been honest about your past and what happened with your husband and I feel I'm not returning the courtesy."

"You told me about Hallie, what came before that doesn't matter."

"For me it does and I'd like to share that with you."

"You know you can tell me anything, no judgement on my part."

"Alright." He sighed, not really sure where to start. "It's true that my father past away and that I'm estranged from my mom but the real reason why." He closed his eyes, not really sure he wanted to relive all of this but he needed to let it all out. "Is that my mom killed my dad and she's in prison." The gasp that escaped Gabby's lips and the distance she put between them made his heart stop slowly, he knew that he was losing her.

"Oh my god. What happened?" The sound of her voice was calming and he looked out in the yard to made sure the kids were ok before he told her the rest of the story.

"When I was little, my father was abusive, physically and mentally with me and my mom. Christie was off to college when it became worst. My parents had divorced at the time and I was living with my mom but the verbal abuse never stopped. I still went to my dad's from time to time because he was still my dad and he wasn't always bad." Gabby simply sat next to him and let him tell the story. "One day, when I came back home from a bad visit to my dad's, my mom realized quickly what had happened and she waited for me to be out of the room before taking my keys and heading out. That night, my mom pulled a gun out and shot him. That night I lost my dad and my mom went to jail. She's been serving time ever since."

"How long has it been?" She simply asked.

"Fifteen years. It took a long time for Christie and I to become close after this because she always resented my mom for killing our dad and she hated that I took our mom's side in all of this."

"What got you closer?"

"The girls. When Grace and Emma were born, we started seeing more of each other because I wanted them to know their aunt. She's been a great help ever since."

"I'm sorry to hear that babe." She put her hand on his cheek and made him look at her. She searched his eyes for something and quickly found it. "You know, what your father did was inexcusable but you'll never be like him. Is that what you're afraid of?"

"Sometimes yes. Does that make me a bad guy? A bad dad?"

"You are a great dad, don't ever doubt that. The girls are very lucky to have you." She gently kissed his cheek and cuddles back to him, putting her legs up and placing his arm around her shoulder. "They look like very happy little girls to me. They think the world of you."

"Thanks." He whispered kissing her head.

"For what?"

"For not freaking out I guess." He laughed nervously.

"The past is in the past. It doesn't justify who we are now. Plus, isn't that what couples do? Be there for each other?"

"So we're a couple now?" He teased and she looked at him with a shocked face and a smile.

"Nice way to make your girl appreciated." She poked at his chest.

"My girl. I like how that sounds. Say it again."

"Your girl." She smiled broadly this time.

"I love how that sounds. Come here." He pulled her closer to him and he kissed her gently.

"Mom and Matt, kissing in a tree." They chuckled as they heard Filippe and Luis sing song next to them.

"Alright you two comedians, let's get you guys back inside in front of a kid movie." Matt got up and everyone followed him in the living room. The kids picked a movie without too much fuss and all sat down to watch it, Matt and Gabby snuggling close to each other on the couch content in watching their kids watch the movie.

* * *

Antonio returned to the bullpen after an arrest to a guy holding a folder, leaning against his desk.

"I got the file you requested." He handed him the file and Antonio thanked him before he walked back down the stairs of intelligence.

"Your dad has you spying on your sister's boyfriend?" Ruzek jokingly threw Antonio's way.

"Something like that." Antonio wasn't laughing, he was too busy reading what he had in front of him. He grabbed his phone and dialled his dad, asking him to come to the district. Half an hour later, Edouardo was buzzed up by Platt once again and they went into Voight's vacant office once more.

"What did you find out?"

"Look for yourself." Antonio saw nothing in there that warranted being angry at Matt, everything bad happening when he was just a teen but the look on his father's face was different.

Edouardo looked through the file his son had given him. Matt Casey was mentioned only in name but he didn't like what he saw. The words abuse, murder and jail stood out from what he read and he simply put the file on the desk and turned to leave.

"Dad, what are you doing?"

"I'm going to make a surprise visit to Mr Casey."

"Don't do this to Gabby dad, she'll hate you for it."

"That's why I'm going to see him before I tell her anything. I want to hear his side of the story." He swung the door open and left before Antonio could go after him. He realized it was a bit late considering Matt had children but he needed to hear it from the man's own mouth first. It took him about fifteen minutes to get to the address he had seen in the file and he went up the stairs and knocked, waiting to be answered.

* * *

Three of the five kids had fallen asleep on the carpet, Grace and Luis fighting it off as long as they could. Matt and Gabby had snuggled closer together and were enjoying somewhat alone time when there was a knock on the door.

"Who would be knocking on your door so late in the evening?"

"No idea, I'll be right back." He got up and looked through the side glass window, Edouardo Dawson on the other side. "What the?" He whispered before opening the door. "Mr. Dawson, what do I own this visit to?" He moved back to let Gabby's father in.

"I know what happened fifteen years ago. You and I need to have a little chat."

Matt had been gone for a few seconds now but she already missed his warmth next to her. When he opened the door and she heard who was there, she got up and moved quickly to go join them.

"Dad, what are you doing here?"

TBC

* * *

 **WHEW! I didn't expect to type this long today. So Matt finally tells Gabby about what happened in his past and shares his reservations about being a good dad throughout all of that.** **BUT her dad also finds out about Matt's past. Will it explode in Matt's house or will Gabby's dad listen to the whole story and give Matt and Gabby their blessing? Stay tuned**

 **a/n: This was super exciting to write and I hope you like it as much as I do so please take a few seconds to leave a review on here to tell me what you guys think ok it. Until next update - Sarra**


	25. Confrontations

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and the kids names.**

 **a/n: Thank You for the fourteen reviews on the FF website as well as the half a dozen ones I got on my twitter feel and I want to send a shout out to everyone who favourited and followed the story yet again, I'm truly blessed.**

 **So this chapter is dedicated to MackCovington on Twitter, I hope you feel better and I hope everyone else enjoys it as well.**

* * *

Matt looked at Gabby as soon as the words came out of her mouth. He wasn't at all surprised that her father had looked into him, being an ex-detective and a Dawson at that.

"Gabby?" Somehow Gabby was more important to him right now that anything her father could throw at him.

"I'll ask one more time, what are you doing here dad?" She completely ignored him.

"Gabby, I didn't know you would be here."

"And what are you doing here dad?" She asked again, starting to be visibly frustrated.

"I wanted to have a little talk with Matt, that's all." He tried defending himself.

"I heard what you said dad and you're not having this conversation." She hissed.

"Gabriella." He pleaded.

"Don't Gabriella me dad. I already know everything and I don't care so you're NOT having this conversation and we have to put the kids to bed." She hadn't raised her voice but it was dangerously low, anger bubbling at the surface.

"Gabby, baby, it's ok." Matt touched her hand with his fingers, trying to get her attention.

"It's not ok." She finally looked at him. "What happened wasn't your fault and it has nothing to do with us."

"Gabby." Her father tried again.

"Does something that happened fifteen years ago really worth it dad? Because it isn't to me." She countered, not really giving her father the chance to talk.

"I just want to talk with Matt Gabby, I'm not here for a fight." Her father raised his hands in defeat, he really didn't want to upset her more than she already was.

"It's ok Gabby. I'll put the girls to bed and I'll help you settle the kids in the car. I'm sure your dad doesn't mind waiting. Can I get you some coffee Mr. Dawson?" Gabby couldn't believe Matt was being so calm about all of this because she was mad.

"Thank you." Edouardo replied.

"The kitchen is all the way in the back, I'll be right there." Matt smiled at Gabby's father and he nodded before leaving the couple alone to talk.

"How can you be ok with this Matt?" She finally hissed as he gently placed his hands on her arms and absentmindedly rubbed them.

"I know we haven't know each other that much but I would do anything to protect my girls and that's what your dad is doing. You're his daughter and you've been through a lot this year and he just wants to make sure that you're ok and in good hands." He pulled her closer to him and kissed the top of her head.

"I am in good hands." She mumbled in his chest.

"Maybe but I did drop a huge bomb on you tonight, one that I've been carrying with me for the past decade and a half. I can't even imagine what was going through his mind when he found out."

"Antonio must have helped him. I'm going to kill him." She growled

"Hey, Gabby, look at me." He reluctantly pulled away from her and made her look at him. "Go easy on Antonio too. He's looking out for you too. Plus, I still need him in my good graces." He chuckled. He had told Gabby about the few times he worked with her brother on arson cases.

"Fine." she huffed. "Why is it that you have all the right words?"

"It's part of my charm." He winked, making her laugh.

"Fine." She leaned up and gave him a sweet peck. "Rain check on a quiet evening together?" She asked hopefully.

"Absolutely. Let me go start the coffee and then I'll put the girls to bed." They parted and Matt went towards the kitchen to get some coffee started. He had a feeling it would be a long conversation, and not one only concerning his past.

"I'm sorry about disrupting your evening." Gabby's dad said when Matt walked into the kitchen.

"It's ok." He said even if he wasn't expecting any sort of company tonight, only keeping Gabby close to him. "I'll be right back after I tucked the girls in."

"Take your time son." Matt nodded and headed for the living room.

When Matt left for the kitchen, Gabby decided to bring the girls to bed as a means to stay calm. She wanted to explode at her father and throw him out but there was still time for that. She picked Grace first, who didn't offer much in the way of resistance. She had been the last to fall asleep after Luis had succumbed to it. She put her in her bed and put the sheets over her small frame before heading back down top get Emma. She blinked a few times as Gabby had her in her arms.

"Where's daddy?" She mumbled.

"He's downstairs. He'll be right there to tuck you in." She ran her fingers in her hair, putting a stubborn strand behind her ear as she she settled her on her bed. She kissed both girls on the forehead and headed back downstairs.

"You didn't have to do that." Matt smiled at her when she was back in the living room.

"Thought I'd help out a little. I told them you'd come tuck them in, assuming Emma didn't fall back asleep already." She chuckled. they shared a sweet kiss and he excused himself to go see the girls. When he got to their rooms, both of them were sound asleep. He kissed their foreheads and closed the door, not wanting anything to disrupt their sleep from this point on. When Matt came downstairs, Gabby already had Luis in his arms and heading for her car. Matt gathered all of the kids things in her bag and scooped Valentina in his arms to bring her over to the car.

"Mama." Valentina whimpered as Matt buckled her in her car seat.

"It's ok sweet girl, mommy is picking Filippe up, she'll be back." He kissed her little forehead and her head lulled to the side again. Gabby didn't take a lot of time returning with the other boy while Matt made sure they were ok in the car. She buckled him in and took her spot behind the wheel.

"Be careful." Matt closed her door as she buckled herself in.

"I will. Are you sure you'll be ok? Don't you want me to stay?"

"I'll be fine Gabby. Text me when you get home so I don't worry." He leaned against her open window for a kiss.

"I will. Next time it'll be just you and me, no interruptions." She promised.

"I can't wait." He leaned farther in and kissed her one last time before he headed back inside to Gabby's waiting dad.

"Gabby's on her way safely back home, I'm all yours. I'll answer any question you might have." Matt poured himself a cup and sat down opposite Edouardo Dawson.

Gabby safely got home and moved all three kids to their room before texting Matt that she was home before she did her nightly routine and went to bed herself but sleep didn't come just yet, she was nervous about Matt and her father in the same room.

Silence stretched a few minutes between Matt and Edouardo Dawson but the chime from his phone brought them back to reality. Matt looked at it and saw Gabby's message, making him laugh lightly. **Got home in one piece and the kids are in bed. I hope you're not dead yet, I kind of like you -xx _I'll tell you how it went tomorrow and I kind of like you too ;) Good night xx_** Matt replied and set his phone down before looking at Gabby's dad once more.

"Gabby just got home safely and the kids are in bed." He updated her dad.

"I'm glad to hear that. Again I'm sorry for the interruption, I didn't know my daughter would be here tonight." Gabby's dad took a sip of his coffee.

"It's ok. You have an amazing daughter Mr. Dawson, I plan on sticking around for as long as she'll have me." He didn't really know what else to say, silence filling the space once again.

"I told the truth when I said I only came to talk. I know what happened but I want to here it from you." Matt sighed and took another sip of coffee before starting to tell Edouardo Dawson the whole story, far more information than what he had given Gabby, knowing he had time to confide in her about what had happened all those years ago. He told him about the verbal and physical abuse both him and his mother had to endure after his father's several tours in the army, clearing changing the man that was once his father. He told him about the foster homes he had been in before being taken in by his aunt until he was 18 and old enough to go on his own. Then, he proceeded in telling him about the academy, his place in 51 and last but not least, Hallie and the twins.

Edouardo sat in front of Matt Casey and listened. He listened to the man's story and how it had been for him as a teen, not wishing what he had gone through on anyone. Then he listened to him talk about the woman who had been the love of his life until the birth of their twins and the life after that became too much for her, leaving him to raise them on his own. He hadn't as much as dated anybody, his focus solely on his daughters and their welfare. Silence stretched once again between the two before Matt spoke again.

"Everyone at 51 kept telling me that it was time to think about myself now, that I was doing a great job with the girls but I didn't want to confuse them."

"Our kids are the most important thing in our lives, we'd do anything to protect them."

"That's one thing I'll never argue with you about. The girls are my whole world."

"So is mine." He said, three small words full of meaning.

"I know. That's why I would never push her Mr. Dawson. I care too much about her and the girls have been getting along great with her and her own kids."

"I've seen you first hand with her kids last night, I think they really like you."

"I like them a lot too. I've thought about this a lot Mr. Dawson and I wouldn't have continued with Gabby if I didn't think it could work. I want to see where it takes us but I want to have your blessing too. It's very important to her so it's very important to me too."

Edouardo hadn't expected this from Matt by coming here. He had been nothing but honest with him, which he respected and he respected his Gabriella, which he liked but still it wasn't enough for him, he needed more from the man that was in front of him.

"You're a fine young man Matt, I can see what she sees in you but I need more from you. You need to prove to me that you're the one that makes her happy, that you'll be there for her no matter what." He pushed his now empty coffee cup and stood up, Matt doing the same. they both walked towards the front door before Matt opened it and spoke again.

"Than I'll prove it to you and I'll prove it to her. She's amazing and so are her kids and I never ever would jeopardize that. She's making me feel something I never thought I'd feel ever again so I'll prove it to the both of you every day that I'm the right man for her."

"Don't make me regret it son."

"You won't." Both men shook hands before Mr. Dawson left Matt's house and he closed the door behind him, leaning his back against it and sighing. It had gone better than he imagined but he was hell bent on proving to Gabby's father that he was right for her. He made sure everything was locked and he went to his fridge and grabbed a beer, zapping through the channels, trying to take the edge off before going to bed.

* * *

Gabby woke up the next morning and brought the kids over to the neighbour who had accepted to babysit them while she ran a few errands, 21st district was the first on her list of places to go. She walked up to the front desk and was greeted by a smile from Platt.

"Is Antonio around?" She smiled back at the woman who seemed in a good mood.

"He's a very popular man since yesterday."

"So I've heard." She said a little bit annoyed, she had a few words for him.

"He's in I'll buzz you up. Give him hell." Platt had a small idea why the detective's sister was here and she would enjoy it thoroughly.

"Count on it." Gabby pulled on the door as she heard the buzz and went up the stairs two at a time. Antonio was surprised to see his sister but he wasn't expecting her tirade. "Where do you go OFF digging in Matt's PAST and handing it to dad on a silver platter?" She held her hand out and gestured to it as if it was a piece of silverware. His mouth opened and it closed again but Gabby didn't give him the chance to speak. "He came knocking on Matt's door late last night, demanding to have a word with him. He stayed there for God knows how long, probably giving him a piece of his mind."

"Gabby." He tried, much like his father last night but she wouldn't have it.

"You had no right to go snooping around. What happened fifteen years ago has nothing to do with who he is now, you have no right." She continued, oblivious to the chuckles from the rest of Antonio's team who were enjoying seeing him go through the Gabby Dawson ringer.

"What did you want me to do Gabby?" He finally found his voice.

"You should have said no Tonio. You should have told him to mind his own business."

"I told him that you'd be mad at him when you'd find out and he said he didn't want to mention it until he had spoken with Matt. You weren't supposed to find out."

"Isn't that convenient?" She growled, she was angry. "Well I was there when he came knocking."

"I'm sorry sis. Matt is a good guy and what happened in his past isn't who he is now and dad will see that." He didn't want his sister to be mad at him anymore. He knew his father only wanted to protect her. She huffed and sat down at his desk.

"I just hope he didn't go all Dawson on him." Gabby knew the three of them were all the same but Matt didn't deserve that.

"Did you talk to Matt this morning?"

"No, he's on shift. I think I'll stop by before I go pay dad a little visit." She stood up again and hugged him before quickly saying by to the rest of the unit, apologizing for the interruption before she drove the short distance between the district and firehouse 51. She walked up the driveway and saw all the trucks were parked so she made her way into the common room and everyone was there, looking tired.

"Hi." She smiled at everyone who looked up at the sound of her voice. "Is Matt around?" She went straight to the point.

"Lieutenant's in his office, he'll be glad to see you." Herrmann smiled at her and she thanked him before heading to the bunk area where she found Matt leaning over his desk, writing up an incident report.

"Do you have a minute?" she gently asked, leaning against his office doorframe.

"Hey." He smiled up at her and got up to kiss her cheek. "This is a nice surprise, come in." He closed the door behind them and gestured for her to take a seat on his cot.

"I wanted to see how it went last night. Please tell me he was nice to you?"

"We talked. I told him everything from the beginning and he listened. It was ok, I promise." Gabby looked at him and she already knew he was hiding something from her.

"What are you not telling me?" She asked, making him laugh.

"You already recognize the look, that's not good." He sat down next to her and took her hand in his before telling her everything. When he was done, she immediately stood up and paced inside the small space.

"He has no right to tell you that, no right at all."

"Gabby, baby, it's ok." He stood up and stopped her from pacing. He had gone to bed last night after that beer, thinking over his whole discussion with Gabby's dad and he knew that all he wanted was to protect his little girl.

"It's not ok Matt. This is my life and I'm happy in it, he has no right to meddle."

"He's your dad Gabby. How do you think Alberto would have felt if Valentina came home at sixteen with a boy with a sketchy past? You know he would have done ANYTHING to make sure he was the right guy, that he would always be nice to her and treat her right." Tears instantly came to her eyes and Matt hated being the one who had put them there with his words but he needed her to understand. "I told him that I would prove to him and you EVERY DAY that you were worth it, that I was the right man for you." He brushed the tears away with his thumbs before leaning down and kissing her. It was gentle at first but Matt cupped her face and she deepened it. It lasted only a few seconds but they were both breathless.

"What did I do to deserve you?" She whispered, her heart finally calming down.

"You gave me a chance. Now go see your dad and spend some time with him, have a talk."

"Ok." She conceded. He pulled her into another hug and walked her back to her car before kissing her under the cat calls coming from the Squad table, Severide smiling at his friend's new happiness. Matt walked back inside as Gabby drove off, returning to his office to finish the report, hoping Gabby would take his advice and talk to her father.

Gabby made the drive to her parents house, pondering what she would tell her dad. Matt's words kept replaying in her head as the trees went by quickly and before she knew it, she had arrived and was ringing the doorbell.

"Gabriella, honey, what are you doing here? And where are the kids?" Esmeralda hugged her daughter and let her in.

"They are with Mrs. Martinez next door, I had errands I had to make. Is dad here?"

"In the living room." They walked together, Gabby's mom had her arms her waist and vice versa.

"Gabriella, sweetie, what are you doing here?" He was surprised to see her after last night, no doubt Matt had told her everything.

"I came to talk to you."

"Listen, I'm sorry about last night." He started but Gabby simply smiled at him.

"What did you do last night Edouardo Dawson?" Gabby's mom saw everything and Gabby had inherited that from her.

"I went to have a talk with Matt Casey last night." He confessed.

"How could you Edouardo?" She was about to give her a piece of her mind when Gabby stopped her.

"It's ok mom." Gabby looked at her father with a smile but he had a look of confusion all over his face.

"I thought you'd be mad at me."

"I was this morning when I went to 21 and yelled at Antonio for helping you but then I went to see Matt at 51, he told me the whole story and had a few words of wisdom for me."

"Well if he can talk you down from being angry." Her mother smiled, making Gabby laugh. "Then I approve." She went and hugged her daughter, keeping her close to her as they both looked at her husband.

"I know that you want what's best for me dad but Matt makes me feel good, he makes me feel alive, like myself again. I think Alberto would be happy for me and that he would like him." She leaned her head against her mother's shoulder.

"All I've ever wanted was for you to be happy Ella and if he makes you happy than you've got my blessing." Gabby's eyes filled with tears and she let go of her mother to go hug her father.

"Thank you daddy." She simply said, letting her father envelop her in a hug.

"I love you sweetheart."

"I love you too dad." They stayed in their embrace a little longer before Gabby stayed over for lunch and then left to pick her kids up from the babysitter.

* * *

 **Wow so I got another big one in right there. I wasn't expecting it to be soo long but then I started writing and suddenly I kept going. I know some one you wanted to have a big confrontation between Gabby and her dad or Gabby's mom and her dad when she found out what her husband had done behind her daughter's back but I liked the thought of Matt having that kind of effect on Gabby to be able bring her down from her anger at the situation so I just went with it. I hope you guys will take a few minutes to leave a review, I can't wait to know what you guys thought about it. Until next update :) - Sarra**


	26. Time un-interrupted

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and the kids names.**

 **a/n: Thank you so much to everyone who took a little time to leave a review on the last chapter as well as everyone who favourited and followed. Now this chapter is going to be rated M because Gabby did promise Matt some time together, uninterrupted, so I hope you guys like it.**

* * *

 **Four days later - Saturday**

Gabby had agreed to meet Matt four days after the whole incident with her father finding out about Matt's past. They were having dinner at his place, just the two of them. Her parents had already agreed to babysit the kids for the night. They would be coming by later to pick them up. Gabby was off for two days during Matt's 48 off and she was fully intending on taking advantage of that. She was going through her wardrobe in the morning, finding nothing interresting. It wasn't meant to be a big evening but she was hoping to have a repeat from the other night at her place, her body aching to feel his against her. She grabbed her phone and quickly dialed up Shay.

 **Hey what's up?** Shay's perky voice came through the reciever. "We need to go shopping, I have nothing to wear for tonight." **I'll come pick you and the kids up in thirty minutes.**

Gabby gave her mother a panicked phone call asking her to get the kids earlier, they'd probably shop part of the day. Twenty minutes later, Esmeralda had come and picked the kids up, Gabby thanking her profusely and as promised, there was a knock on Gabby's door thirty minutes later.

"Hey, let me look what you have in your closet. You might not be looking with an objective eye." Shay giggled.

"I went through it twice in the last twenty minutes, I'm pretty sure I have nothing." Gabby huffed, knowing her friend had good intentions but she really had nothing.

"What vibe are we going for anyways?" Shay questionned as they entered the first store.

"I was hoping for something sexy but casual at the same time. Matt and I haven't been intimate in a while." She blushed, looking at her feet.

"So you want rip me out of these clothes hot so he can't keep his hands off you." Gabby turned a deep shade of red making Shay chuckle and nod her head, knowing she had guessed right. Gabby let Shay look through the racks after a few attemps of finding something herself and they weren't so successfull in the first store. It took about two more store before finding something interesting.

Gabby knew she didn't have to try so hard to please Matt but she hadn't...seduced...anyone in a long while and some part of her was scared of failing.

"Try these on." Shay handed Gabby five tops and three pairs of skin tight jeans. She disapeared into a changing booth and Shay sat down and waited for her friend to try different combinations. Gabby came back out a few moments later.

"What do you think?" She turned on herself at Shay's request.

"Your ass looks hot in those jeans but I don't like the top. Keep the pants on and try another top." Gabby did as she was told and after two other tries, the fourth top made Shay's jaw drop. "That is HOT." She whistled.

"Really?" She did one last turnover and Shay nodded her head again.

"It's perfect. I swear he'll never let you in farther that his front door before he's all over you. Do you have anything sexy to wear under that?"

"I have a few things but I've had them a while."

"We are going to get you something new. Let's go." Gabby paid for both the top and Shay gave her directions towards a lingery store. Gabby knew what she liked and picked out a few things that she tried in the confines of the changing room and they paid for what she had decided on. They drove back to Gabby's place and the girls hung out until Gabby was ready to get ready.

She took a shower and decided onthe black lacy number she had bought that matched her black top. It was a spaghetti strap top and he front of it was dipping dangerously low while the back was opened as well, showing off a tiny bit of the lace bra she was wearing. She did a smokey eye and settled on red lips before she made her hair in waves and after more than an hour, she came out of her room, black heels to go with her outfit.

"What's taking you so long?" She asked loudly before looking up and come face to face with a very hot Gabby.

"What do you think?"

"I think that you and Matt will have HOT, naked sex the minute you walk through that door."

"You think so?"

"You are very tempting Gabriella Dawson. Matt won't be able to keep his hands away from your hot body." She smiled at her friend.

"Thanks." Gabby looked nervously at her watch, it was time to head out to Matt's place. "It's time." She smiled and they both exited her appartment.

"Come on hot mama, let's get you to lover boy's house." They hugged and Gabby drove in the direction of Matt's house.

* * *

Matt changed into a pair of jeans and a blue, formfitting long sleeved shirt, pushing the sleeves up to his elbows before he made his way into the kitchen and started making dinner while drinking a beer to calm his nerves. Both him and Gabby had been busy in the past few days and he couldn't wait to spend some quality time with his girl, without the kids. He missed how she felt in his arms and how soft her lips were but he mostly missed their intimate contact. Both of them had two days off and he was looking forward to be able to sleep in the same bed with her tonight. He let the seafood cook on a slow burn and put the water to boil, he was expecting Gabby any minute now.

Once the sauce was put in with the seafood, there was a knock on the door. He put his beer down and went to open the door to greet Gabby but his words stuck in his throat. The woman in front of him was simply breathtakingly beautiful and his body tightened at the mere sight of her.

"Hey, I hope I'm not late." She walked in with a smile and kissed him. He quickly wrapped an arm around her waist and cupped her cheek as he deepened their kiss.

"You are right on time." The words managed to come out when they came up for air. "Wow." He whispered, his eyes still on Gabby.

"Do you like it?" She slowly turned on herself, heat radiating all the way down to his groin.

"Don't tease me." He growled, his eyes suddenly clouded with want. "There's dinner on the stove."

"What are we having?" She questionned walking past him and his eyes followed her intently, himself following closely behind her. His hands were itching to touch her again, her mocha skin inticing him as she walked and he noticed the lace bra peaking through her top.

"Seafood pasta with tomato sauce." She had made her way into the kitchen and he stopped inches behind her.

"It smells great." Gabby didn't seem to mind the attention Matt was giving her without even touching her.

"You smell amazing." His fingers finally found her hips under the material of her shirt as he felt goosebumps form under his touch and he pressed his lips to her neck, itching to feel her under his lips.

"Matt." It was almost a whimper escaping her lips.

"Baby?" He kissed his way behind her ear, a moan escaping her lips.

"Don't stop." Matt turned her around in his arms and crashed his lips to hers, gently pushing her against the counter, her arms coming around his neck and her fingers tangling in his hair. She let his tongue explore her mouth as he pressed his body into hers, a moan swallowed by their kiss. He gently raised her onto his countertop, their body still closely glued together but they were brought back to reality by the bubbling sauce pan next to them on the stove. Gabby crossed her legs, showing them off to Matt as he stirred the sauce and his eyes kept drifint to her sitting there. He poured her a glass of wine and one for himself as well.

"To a little bit of uninterrupted grown-up time." Gabby said seductively, making Matt swallow. She was taunting him but he didn't care. He would gladley let her have her way with him. They clinked their glasses together and both took a sip as Matt put the water to boil and mixed the sauce with the seafood. He put his glass of wine down and went back in front of her. He ran his hand up her leg starting from her ankle, making Gabby inhale sharply, her breathing becoming laboured as he went higher. When he reached her center, making slow circles, Gabby closed her eyes and enjoyed Matt's touch.

"These clothes are going to get me into trouble." He whispered in her ear as he pressed his lips to her neck, his other hand following the material of her shirt all the way down the valley of her breasts. His lips followed the trail his fingers had previously taken, Gabby's fingers instantly tangling themselves in his hair, she didn't want him to stop. Matt kept his attention on Gabby as he kissed his way back up to her red lips. Gabby had wrapped her legs around his mid section and pulled him closer to her by the material of his shirt. Matt suddely stopped kissing her when he needed air, both missing the other as they seperated, Matt finishing up dinner as Gabby teased him with her hands under his shirt, following the strong lines of his abs. "I swear, you are trying to kill me." He turned around in her arms after he finished mixing the dish together.

"I missed you." Gabby smiled up at him, her hands still roaming his skin under his shirt.

"You have no idea." He pulled her flush against him and kissed her again. This time, it was slow and tender. "Dinner is ready." He kissed her one more time before very reluctantly pulling way from each other to go at the dinner table. They drank some wine as they ate, Gabby complimenting him on the great food. When she was done, she pushed her chair away from the table and straddled Matt's lap.

"Dinner was amazing but I'm not hungry for food anymore." Matt finished his glass of wine and set it down as she wrapped her arms around his neck and nibbled on his ear. He placed his hands on her hips and just enjoyed the attention she was giving him. As she kissed down his stubbled jaw, he became increasingly uncomfortable in his pants.

"Maybe we can take this somewhere else." He closed his eyes as her teeth grazed his shoulder.

"I'm all yours." She leaned down and kissed him. He pushed the chair away from the table and she wrapped her legs around his waist as he hoisted her up in his arms, intending on bringing her to his bedroom and not leaving it for the rest of the evening and all the way into the night. He set her gently on the bed and started by removing her heels. There wasn't a doubt whe she looked in his eyes that he wanted her and she was ready to abandon herself to him. He ran his fingers along her thight like he had done in the kitchen and she opened her legs ever so little to give him a bit more access. He kissed along the waistband of her jeans as his fingers expertly popper her button open.

Matt's actions were slow and it was driving Gabby crazy. She pushed her hips against him, showing him she wanted more than what he was giving. "Don't tease." She whimpered as he slid the zipper down slowly.

"There will be no teasing tonight baby, just be prepared to be tired in the morning." He grinned up at her as he pulled her pants down and moved aside the material of her panties, quickly inserting two fingers into her, her head hitting the pillow once more. He expertly moved them in and out of her and curled them in her heat, giving her pleasure like never before. She had missed his touch so much that he had her reaching her peak quickly and a tiny sheet of sweat was covering her already.

"That was amazing." She panted as he kissed her lips. Gabby reached down and started tugging the hem of Matt's shirt, he needed some clothes off of him too so she pulled it a bit hight against his abs before turning them around so she could give him a little bit of attention too. She removed his shirt and teased him with open mouth kisses along his pant line, her fingers exploring his abs.

"You said no teasing." His breathing had become laboured from just her touch.

"I wasn't planning on it." She explored his abs and chest with her fingers and her toungue, Matt tugging gently at her hair as she did so. A growl formed in his throat as she undid his jeans and put her small hand in his briefs, gently stroking him.

"Gabby, please." He was begging now, begging her to give him some release. Much like himself a few moments before, she used her hand and fingers to bring him over the edge. He took her cheeks in his hands and pressed a kiss to her lips. They made out for a few minutes, their legs tangled together, not really wanting to let each other go. He took Gabby by the hand when they parted and pulled her with him. He kissed her as he wrapped his arm around her and kept her close, want for her suddenly igniting in his groin once again.

Gabby still had a few more pieces of clothing that needed to be taken off, Matt being already naked. He ran his hands under her top while they still kissed and started lifting it up. Their lips parted only to remove her top, leaving her clad in nothing but a black, very sexy lingerie kit.

"You are so hot tonight. Is it new?" He left her lips to kiss her cheek and her neck, Gabby's hand pressing into his shoulder.

"Yes, I picked it out myself, just for you." She whispered seductively to him.

"Just beautiful." He said before finding her lips once again and gently pushing her towards the bathroom as flashes from the last time they were in the shower together. He slowly and torturously removed her bra and panties, soft moans escaping her lips as he did so. He put the water warm and then lifted her up, her legs securely around his waist and their lips attached together again before he walked them in the shower, letting the warm stream fall across their body. After they made love for what seemed like forever in the shower, they got out to a misty bathroom.

Both walking out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped about their bodies, Matt had his arms wrapped around Gabby's waist from behind.

"This is nice." Gabby said about their evening so far.

"It's not finished just yet." He kissed her neck and turned her around in his arms and lying down on top of her on the bed.

Matt and Gabby made out before they made love over and over again, never getting enough of each other. They fell exhausted, their arms and legs tangled as the sky changed colour to become morning.

"Maybe we should get some sleep." Gabby giggled as Matt left feather light kisses on her neck.

"You must be tired after all this exercise." He claimed her lips tenderly as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Someone couldn't take his hands off of me."

"Not my fault."

"Sure it was. You came walking through my door wearing that top that left NOTHING to my imagination. You are the devil Gabriella Dawson." Matt snuggled closely with her and they shared one last kiss and a smile before they drifted off to sleep. They had all of tomorrow to recuperate from the night.

* * *

 **a/n: Alright so I couldn't help it to write another chapter that I astarted last night and finished this morning.**

 **Matt and Gabby deserved an un-interrupted night together and unlike the first time, it wasn't meant to be gentle and slow.**

 **Next Up:** Gabby and Matt spend a quiet day together before picking their kids up.

 **I hope you guys liked this chapter and will take a few minutes to review it, I love reading what you guys thought of it - Sarra**


	27. Morning After

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and the name of the girls**

 **a/n: Thank you again for the FIFTEEN reviews on here as well as everyone who reviewed via Twitter. I wanted to write a fluffy morning after chapter as a last chapter before going back to work and having to figure out how I'll balance it all so I hope you like this one.**

* * *

The soft glow filtering through the blinds is what woke Matt up. He was met with slender arms tucked in his chest, Gabby curled into him. Her chest was moving steadily up and down, telling him she was still fast asleep. He couldn't resist the urge to run his fingers against her soft skin until they rested on her waist. This girl, his girls, was making him feel love for the first time in a long time but part of him was scared it was going too fast. They hadn't known each other long enough for it to be love just yet but he could see them moving forward together at some point down the road. Of course they had yet to meet each other's family and really talk about where their relationship was going but he felt at peace with her in his arms like that. He was more than willing to move one step at a time and make it right. His daughters were still his number one priority but suddenly, his priorities seem to be entending farther than his own family.

"What are you thinking about?" Gabby's sleep filled voice shook him from his thoughts.

"You, us." He smiled and kissed her horehead.

"Talk to me." She pressed, giving him time to sort his thoughts.

"I was thinking that maybe we could have dinner with my sister sometime."

"Are you sure we're ready for this?"

"Only if you're ready. I don't want to push you into anything you're not comfortable with." He moved a strand of hair that was falling in her face behind her ear.

"Maybe you can talk to me about her first. What's she like, how's her family."

"Anything you want, just not today." He smirked and kissed her. "I just want us to spend a quiet morning in bed."

"I like that idea." She cuddled closer to him and pressed her lips to his. He held onto her as they kissed, enjoying the way she felt in his arms. Before air even became a problem, Gabby's stomach grumbled, pulling them apart with a chuckle.

"I think someone's hungry."

"Well someone gave me a hell of a workout last night."

"I didn't hear you complain." He kissed her and pulled away to look for some boxers to wear only to find her spying on him. "Liking what you see?"

"I'll never get tired of it." She gave him a cheeky smile as he pulled his boxers up.

"What do you feel like having?"

"Mmmmm, french toast."

"Stay up here, I'll be back with some food."

"I'll come help."

"No, you stay up here and relax. I'll bring the food back up with me."

"You're going to spoil me Matt Casey."

"That I will." He smiled before leaning down and kissing her tenderly, quickly going down to get the food ready.

Gabby laid on her side and pondered Matt's words about meeting his sister. He hadn't really talked about her except when mentionning his past and she wasn't sure if she was ready to meet anyone. She was very happy the way they were for now, in the very happy bubble she was in. Sure her parents knew about them but they hadn't really talked about where their relationship was going and she felt they owed it to each other to find out first before bringing other people in the mix.

"What are you thinking about?" Matt's voice pulled her out of her thoughts, a smile on her face as she saw him.

"How extremely HOT and handsome my boyfriend is and how amazing he's treating me." It wasn't often that Matt blushed but this girl was doing and making him feel things that he hadn't truely ever felt before.

"It's exactly how you should be treated baby." Gabby sat up with the sheets wrapped around her body, Matt placing the tray in front of them. He had made french toast and there was syrup and some whip cream with a bowl of fresh fruit and two orange juices.

"This smells amazing." Gabby smiled as her stomach offered another grumble.

"Someone else thinks so too, eat up." He couldn't help but smile at his girl. She was even more beautiful basking in the morning glow even if it was well past ten at this point.

"You have to give me the recipe for those, it's like a little piece of heaven in my mouth."

"It's very easy." He laughed as he placed a piece of toast in his mouth. "Hey I was thinking downstairs."

"Uh oh, that's not good." She couldn't help but tease him, putting a piece of fruit in her mouth.

"Ha ha." He kissed her. "Like I said, I was thinking and the kids are starting school in a little more than a week. I thought we could go to the pier all together as a last hoora next week end, I think it could be fun."

"I think they'd like that. I remember the last time I was at the pier. I ran into a very handsome man while running after my daughter and I can't stop thinking about him ever since."

"Oh really? Maybe we'll see him again." He played along with her.

"I'm not sure my boyfriend would apreciate that though."

"I don't think so either, he just wants you all for himself." He moved closer to her and captured her lips in a tender kiss. They finished eating and Matt put the tray aside, laying down and pulling Gabby to him. They stayed tucked into each other for long minutes before one of them said something.

"I'm thankful for running into you that day." She whispered in his chest.

"So am I. What's on your mind baby?"

"I." She started, trying to find the right words. "When Alberto passed away. I think a small part of me died with him. The kids became the only thing that seemed important anymore and for a while I lived only to make sure they were ok. But coming back home and bumping into you, I was suddenly aloud to feel something else, something that I thought was lost."

Matt pulled her closer to him and kissed her forehead. "The girls have been my numder one priority too. When Hallie left, If they were ok, I was ok too. When i bumped into you that day, you were all I could thinnk about for day after that. You were the first one to make me feel something for me. I think it's ok to need someone and I feel at peace when I'm with you, I'm happy." He moved so he was now hovering over her. I"'m happy Gabby and it's because of you." He caressed her cheek and kissed her lips.

It started very tender but Gabby placed a hand at the base of his neck and licked his bottom lip, asking for access, which he gave her. Their tongues battled gently for controle, one Matt was more than willing to surrender. They made out, their hands touching any part of bare skin they could find.

"God you're beautiful." He whispered as they parted, making her blush. He kissed her again and they tangled themselves in the sheets one more time, making love tenderly. They spent the rest of the morning cuddling and making out, content just to me close together. Once lunch came and went, they showered together, kissing and washing each other in turn.

Matt got dressed in some jeans as Gabby was putting her clothes back on, sitting on the side of his bed. He watched her as she slipped her top back on and slipped back in bed, placing his hand on her hip and a kiss to her neck.

"I wish you didn't have to go." He whispered, making her giggle.

"I don't feel like leaving but we can't stay hidden here forever." She turned her head so their lips could meet.

"Always the party pooper." He laughed, letting her finish getting dressed. He was propped on his elbow and just looked at her.

They went downstairs together and Matt walked her to the door, still shirtless. "You should wear a shirt if you want me to leave."

"Maybe that's my master plan, keep you here forever." He pulled her to him and kissed her.

"Keep plotting loverboy." She kissed him back, reluctantly pulling herself from him. "Stay safe out there." she made him promise.

"Always. Call me when you get home." Matt watched her walk towards her car and waited for it to turn around the corner before going back inside and finish getting dressed to go get the girls.

* * *

 **a/n: I'm really not 100% sure about this chapter. I wanted to write a little fluff between the two but I hope you enjoyed it. Please take a few seconds to review before you go and I hope to be able to update in no time after I go back to work - Sarra xx**


	28. One last Hoorra

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and the names of the kids.**

 **a/n: Thanks again for all the support you guys are giving this story. Fourteen plus more reviews, that's amazing. So here's a little back to work chapter, I hope you like it.**

* * *

"Come on guys, are you ready?" Gabby finished getting Valentina ready for the day. They were running late as it was and Gabby hated being late.

"I can't find my other sock mom." Luis screamed from his bedroom.

"Just find another pair Luis, we're late." From the moment she woke up, things weren't going her way. She left Valentina with some toys in the living room and went to see what was holding up the boys other than a pair of sock. Luis was looking everywhere for that sock and Philippe was still in his pj's.

"Come on Filippe, get dressed if you want to go to the pier." She bent down and found Luis's missing sock and handed it to him before grabbing shorts and a t-shirt and dressing him with much trouble. She managed to get the kids in the car ten minutes later and her phone rang, Matt's name coming across the screen.

"Matt I'm so sorry I'm late." She pressed on the speakerphone. **"It's fine, is everything ok?"** "Yes, no. I'll tell you when we get here." **"Ok. Drive safely."** "I will, see you in twenty minutes." And she hung up her phone to finish buckling Valentina up in her seat, pulling down the street and towards the pier. Matt met them at the entrance with the girls.

"Hey Gabby." He kissed her cheek and helped with Valentina. "Is everything ok?"

"I woke up late and the boys were not cooperating." She looked up to find Filippe and Grace arguying. "Filippe." She said sternly. "What is wrong with you today?" She pulled him away while Matt took Grace aside.

"If you don't behave, we are going home. Do I make myself clear Filippe?"

"Yes mom."

"We talked about this Grace. You have to be nice to your friends."

"Yes dad." Grace looked directly into Matt's eyes as she said it, knowing she had done something wrong.

"We came here to have some fun so I don't want to have everyone arguing." Matt adressed all four older kids.

"Yes sir." Both sets of twins answered.

"Good. So what's up first?" All four kids took turn telling what they wanted to do before they started walking towards the first attraction, the carousel. Gabby sat with Valentina on a carriage chair and so did Grace and Emma, Matt between the two while both Filippe and Luis rode on horses, goofing off together. When they got off,they walked a bit around the pier, looking for the next thing they'd do, the five kids skipping up front, Valentina between the two older girls.

"They are so good with her." Gabby leaned closer into Matt as he wrapper his arm around her shoulder, hers coming to rest around his waist.

"I heard them mention something about wanting a younger sibling when they thought I wasn't looking."

"Mamma, mamma. Can we go there?"Luis pointed to a shooting booth full of plushies.

"I don't know Luis." Gabby was really bad at that game but the boys had hope written all over their faces.

"I'll go with you if your mom's ok with that." He looked at Gabby with a smile while the boys were all but begging her to say yes.

"Fine by me." He smiled back at her boys who couldn't wait any longer so they ran ahead and sat down next to each other, waiting for Matt to join them. The young woman gave her instructions and they start their water guns. When Matt realized that the boys were having trouble, he put his gun down and went to sit behind Filippe and helped him shoot straight, the water hitting right on the spot, making his side move up faster, making him win.

"That's not fair." Luis pouted, he wanted a toy too.

"How about we go for another round?" Matt got up and paid the girl before he took a seat behind Luis and helped him win this time. Both boys were happy to be able to choose a plusie each, one taking a dragon and the other a dog as their prize.

"Where to next?" Gabby looked at the girls since they hadn't chosen anything yet.

"I want to go on the disco ride." Emma clamored beyond excited.

"That's where we're going then, let's go kids." Gabby pushed Valentina's stroller in the disco ride's general direction, the kids once again walking ahead of the both adults.

"Thanks for helping the boys."

"It's nothing really. I remember my dad helping me out like that once." He shrugged. His father hadn't always been abusive and going to the pier with his parents and his sister was a good memory for him. Gabby took his land and squeezed it as a sign that she understood, not wanting to add more to that statement. They waited in line for their turn on the ride and finally when it was time to take seats, each set of twins wanted to share a cart together, leaving Matt, Gabby and Valentina in a cart together. Valentina stayed glued to her mother as the ride started turning while the kids could be heard laughing over the ride's music.

When they were done, it was time to stop a little bit to grab some lunch. They stopped at a hot dog stand and ordered what they wanted before they found a spot to sit down and enjoy their meal. Once that was done, they continued doing a tour of the rides, Valentina eventually falling asleep in the stroller.

The day was starting to wind down and they stood in line for the ferris wheel, the kids simply having fun together while they waited, laughing their little hearts out. Matt and Gabby were simply content watching them have some fun together. They were all able to get in a cart together and the wheel started going up before it suddenly stopped at the top. The kids didn't seem fazed by the sudden jolt and Matt and Gabby simply admired the Chicago landscape from the pier, their bodies close to one another. After only a few minutes later, the wheel started turning again, slowly bringing them back down to the ground. Matt took a very tired looking Valentina from Gabby's arms and carried her towards the waiting stroller that stayed on the ground as they went on the wheel and the kids held onto Gabby's hands and anything from Matt they could since his arms were tightly wrapped around the little girl.

He slowly set her down as her eyelids became heavier and buckled her into the stroller, deciding to push her to give Gabby a break. The older kids were sticking close to their respective parent as they walked closely together.

"I think it might be time to call it a day." Matt looked around and saw four very tired kids.

"I think that's a good idea." Gabby said in the same sense, the kids not used to having so much excitement in the same day without napping in the afternoon.

As they walked towards the exit, an older woman walked in their direction, having seen the interaction between the group, finding it very sweet.

"I'm sorry. I don't want to bother you but I saw you all together and thought what a wonderful family you have. It's not often we see large families anymore, specially not some so well behaved. And they are all so adorable."

"Thank you." Emma said shyly, her arms still wrapped around her dad, a smile on her face.

The woman left as quickly as she had approached them, not leaving the adults any time to reply after Emma but Gabby felt little arms squeeze her and sniffles coming from her left side. She looked down to find Luis in tears, his nose burried in her side.

"Hey little man, what's wrong?" She managed to kneel down at his level and make him look at her, her thumbs wiping his tears away.

"Matt's not my dad." It broke Gabby's heart to hear her son break down like that. The boys had been sad to lose their dad but this was a new situation for both of them. Gabby and Matt having dating not very long, they never took the time to explain to the kids about their growing relationship and what it meant for them. The kids were the most important people in their world and they hadn't had that kind of talk with them, not even having a real talk about the situation between each other.

"Oh baby, Matt's never going to replace your dad." She whispered, her hands on his shoulders, pulling him for a hug. She looked up at Matt, Luis still wrapped in her arms, a silent plea to talk soon. Once she released him from her grip, she kissed his cheek and let him go but Gabby's arms were quickly replaced by smaller ones when Grace hugged him.

"It's ok to miss your daddy. I miss my mommy too sometimes." She squeezed him tight before they all walked towards the parking lot. Both Gabby and Matt buckled the kids in their respective cars and took a few seconds to say goodnight.

"We need to talk about this." Gabby said in Matt's chest.

"I know." He kissed her head and they pulled away before saying goodnight and driving to their respective places.

Both Matt and Gabby took the kids and went to grab done dinner before going back home where all five kids fell asleep as their heads hit their pillows, falling from exhaustion after a fun day at the pier. Gabby stood in the doorway to the boys room, her arms crossed over her chest, a sense of emptiness filling up her heart as it broke for her sons who were missing their father as much as she missed him too. She knew this was a delicate situation but one she needed to adress nonetheless. She finally walked away from watching them sleep before she checked on Valentina and got ready for bed herself.

Matt watched over the girls as they slept in their beds, their little bodies shutting down as soon as they were put in bed. He thought back at the last few hours, his heart also breaking for the two little boys sleeping safely in their beds, sad that they missed their father so much. He knew he'd have to have a real conversation with Gabby about this soon because all five kids needed some reassurance about the direction their relationship was taking and what role they would have in each other's lives. He turned off the lights of the hall and headed back downstairs to watch some tv, hopefully clearing his head for a little bit.

* * *

 **a/n: Finally after a few hours of not really being able to type this chapter up, the road block went away and I was able to write it. The original idea for the interaction of the woman with the Casey/Dawson clan goes to Justicerocks11 (original mastermind behind the plot of this story) who's always gracious to share some of her original ideas with me as the story progresses and her ideas tie in with mine so Thanks :)**

 **I hope you guys liked this chapter and that you'll take a few seconds to review it.- Sarra**


	29. Conversations pt 3

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and the kids names.**

 **a/n: Thanks to everyone who reviews the last chapter and I'm really glad you liked it. I know this is the second chapter in one day but since I couldn't update thursday of this week as planned, I figured I'd give you a second chapter as a back to work present so I hope you like it.**

* * *

After their day at the pier, Matt and Gabby's schedule became crazy. They hadn't been able to see each other except on calls that had to do with kids at Lakeshore or the occasionnal phone call. Matt wanted to talk with Gabby about their blossoming relationship, specially what it meant for their five kids. They both had particular circumstances but they really needed to be in the same room and talk about it so they could talk to the kids about it as well.

When they weren't at work, they were buying whatever was missing for the kids first day of school that was fast approaching. One last week end and they were going to start kindergarten. The girls kept making X's on the calendar as the week went by, both very excited to meet new friends and learn new things.

On Gabby's end, the boys were excited as well but when the evening came, Luis was

always more quiet than his normal self and Gabby had a suspicion as to why so she thought that maybe a trip to firehouse 51 would do the trick to cheer him up. She texted Matt about it before even bringing it up to the boys just to be sure that it was ok with chief Boden that they come by and when she got an answer back after dinner, she put the offer out on the table.

"I was thinking that we could go visit Matt at the firehouse on saturday, that would be fun right?" Filippe and Valentina instantly lit up while a dark cloud came over Luis, he was anything but happy.

"I don't want to go." He simply said, confusing Gabby even more.

"Why not bud?" She didn't really understand why the sudden change of mood. He had loved visiting the firehouse the first time.

"I hate Matt." He screamed and got up, running to his room. Gabby ran after him and found him lying down on his bed, his face in his pillow, his body shaking from the crying. She sat down next to him without saying a word and simply rubbed small circles on his back until she knew he had stopped crying.

"Hey baby boy. Want to talk to me about it?" She asked, giving him time to answer her. He looked at her from his pillow, eyes red and puffy.

"I miss daddy."

"I know buddy, I miss him too." She willed her tears not to come, she didn't want Luis to see her cry.

"You don't miss him." He put his face back down in his pillow.

"Look at me Luis." Gabby sensed Filippe behind her but she needed to talk to Luis first. It took a few seconds for him to look back at her. "Why would you say that? You know that's not true." She wasn't mad at him but she wanted to know what was in his little head.

"You never talk about him. You always want to be with Matt."

"Alright. I think we need to talk about this." She turned around and motionned for Filippe to come closer. "I need you two to sit down and look at me." She gently helped Luis into a sitting position before Filippe took a seat next to his brother. "Do you feel the same way as your brother?" She looked at Filippe and ran a hand through his hair, giving her a better view of his eyes.

"I like Matt mama but is he going to be our new daddy?" Gabby's heart broke just a little bit more for them.

"No." She quickly said. "You remember how you said the other day that you like it when I smile? Well Matt makes me smile a lot but he also makes me smile a lot because he's nice with you and your sister. Your daddy is always going to live right here." She pointed in turn to the place where their hearts beated under their chests.

"Do you miss him mama?" Filippe asked the question even though she had answered it before.

"Every day but you know what helps?" They both moved their heads from side to side. "Sometimes I talk to daddy. You can talk to him too when you miss him, he always listens."

"Do you think so?" Luis finally spoke, his voice breaking as he did.

"I know so." She ruffled his hair gently.

"Are we going to call Matt dad?" Filippe spoke almost at a whisper.

"Oh baby. I know this is all new to you and your brother and your sister but no matter what happens between Matt and I, he will NEVER take your daddy's place."

"Never?" They both spoke together.

"Never." She pulled them both into a hug, holding onto them for dear life. She knew this was all very new and it was hard on all three of her kids but they needed to move forward together but she certainly didn't want them to ever feel like she was imposing anyone on them, certainly not in the hopes of having them call that person dad. "You know, daddy would be very proud of you right now." They both nodded. "How about we go have some fun in the tub before bed? I'll even put bubbles in there."

They both scooted closer together and pulled their mom into a hug. Gabby helped them get into a very full tub full of foaming bubbles and they had fun throwing the bubbles around before Gabby took them and and got them ready for bed.

"So do you guys still want to go visit the firehouse on saturday?' She wanted to make sure that's what they really wanted. They both nodded, a smile returning to Luis's face. "Alright now get some sleep, I love you both." She kissed their foreheads and kissed them both before turning on a spanish lullaby and turning off the lights.

She went to the kitchen and picked the remains of dinner up and did the dishes before taking a shower. She gave herself a reminder to talk with Matt about where they were heading as a couple and what that meant for the five kids.

* * *

Matt wanted desperately to talk to Gabby about what happened at the pier but their schedule mixed with school supply shopping had made it very hard. He was glad when she texted him, asking if it was ok to visit the firehouse on his saturday shift. He had immediately answered her after making sure Boden was ok with it and headed out to the common room to grab a late dinner. Christie was supposed to bring the girls by after they were cleaned up and ready for bed so Matt could kiss them goodnight. They had been very affectionate with him since the pier and he suspected it was because of what had happened with the woman and Luis.

"How's it going with Gabby?" Severide sat down next to Matt with a plate of his own.

"They're great." Matt wasn't up for heavy conversation with Kelly but he knew that he's probably push.

"Come on Case, what's goin on in that head of yours?"

"Just something that happened at the pier."

"Want to talk about it?"

"Not really. It's something I need to talk about with her. Maybe then I'll be able to tell you more."

"Fair enough. How are the girls?"

"Why don't you ask them yourself." Matt smiled when he saw his two girls skip into the common room.

"Uncle Kelly." Grace ran to him while Emma quietly found Shay who sat her on her lap.

"How are you doing little pipsqueek?" He tickled her sides, making her laugh. Matt got up and hugged his sister, glad that she had brought the girls around. Grace went into a detailed description of what they had done today and Emma stayed close to Shay, content to be in her godmother's arms.

"So school soon huh? Are you guys excited?" Shay finally spoke up.

"I can't wait to go to school auntie Shay, I want to learn new things." Grace smiled.

"And meet new friends." Emma added, making everyone in the room laugh.

"Are you guys all ready?" Herrmann scooted closer to Shay's chair.

"All set." Matt confirmed. "Come Monday, my girls will be all grown up." It was crazy how quickly time went by. It seemed like just yesterday that they were babies and now they we going off to kindergarten and learn new things.

"You girls are going to have sooo much fun." Christopher took hold of Grace and spun her around.

"Promise uncle Christopher."

"Pinky promise." They joined their pinkies together as Grace giggled.

"Daddy?" Emma asked from her spot on Shay's lap.

"What's on your mind?"

"Why was Luis sad at the pier?" Matt hadn't talked to anyone about it and now he was confronted with the question in front of the whole house.

He took her from Shay and sat her down on his own lap. "He was sad because he misses his daddy."

"Why can't he see his daddy?"

"He can't see him because his daddy is in heaven."

"Is mommy in heaven?" This didn't happen very often but when it did, it always broke his heart.

"No, mommy's not in heaven." He never really knew what to tell them when this happened.

"Where is she then?" Grace wondered, still in Herrmann's arms.

"Mommy is sick and she had to leave, that's why you're with me all the time." Matt closed his eyes briefly as Boden put a comforting hand on his shoulder. That answered seemed to be enough for the girls because they stopped asking more questions. The sky outside was starting to be dark and it was time to get the girls in bed. Matt hugged them each and kept them in his arms a bit longer than usual before he kissed them goodnight and they said bye to everyone in the house, going back to Christie's for a good night rest.

 **Saturday** **at the firehouse**

"Look who came for a visit." Severide said as Gabby approached, taking one of the twins in his arms. "Do you guys want to see the trucks?" Both kids in the ground were jumping up and down as Kelly set the boy down.

"Thanks Kelly."

"He's in his office."

"Thanks." Gabby knew the kids were in very capable hands with Severide and the rest of the house looking out for them so she made her way through the common room, hugged Shay and went on her way. She found Matt leaning over an incident report, clearly oblivious to what was around him. "Knock knock."

"Hey, this is a surprise. Why didn't you tell me you were on your way?"

"I wanted it to be a surprise. I'm glad you weren't out on a call."

"Me too. How are the boys?" Gabby knew what he was asking. "They're good now. We talked and I think it's ok."

"Hey, tell me what happened." He got up from his chair and pulled her towards the bed so they could sit and talk more comfortably. She started telling him everything that was said a few evenings ago.

"He thinks he'll have to call you dad."

"I would never push myself onto them, you know that right?"

"I know but we need to have a talk Matt. We need to figure out what we are and where we're going."

"Most importantly we have to think about all five kids." He took her hand in his and stroked her fingers.

"Yes. We have to keep in mind that they're the most important."

"And they are. I'll tell you what. How about we get through that first week of school and then we can talk some more about this. You and me and us and the kids. How does that sound?"

"That sounds great." She leaned her head against his shoulder, a content sigh escaping her lips.

They knew they had some things to discuss but for right now, they would settle for being content together and put the kids above all else.

* * *

 **a/n: I really hope you guys liked this chapter. Now next one will be the first day of school for out little families and everything that intails for the kids and their parents so stay tuned for that (I don't know when I'll post it though) but in the meantime, I hope you'll take a few minutes to review this chapter before you go - Sarra xx**


	30. Kindergarten

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except my imagination and the girls names.

 **a/n: THANK YOU to everyone who took the time to leave a review on the last chapter on here and on Twitter. THANK YOU also to everyone who favourite and follow this story, it always means the world to me.**

 **I'm sorry I'e been AWOL for the last week or so but I started working last Tuesday and I made a few schedule changes that prevented me from writing this chapter before as planned. I have another few hectic weekd coming up but I'm hoping to be able to update on my day off once I get back in the groove of things so don't dispair, I'll get the hand of it. I hope you'll enjoy this latest chapter.**

* * *

Monday came by too quickly for both Matt and Gabby. After a whole week end of preparing, this moment was finally here, the kids were starting in kindergarten together. Matt and Gabby didn't have a lot of time together in the past week due to all the preparations so their talk about moving forward would have to wait a little bit longer. They had agreed to meet up at the parc next to the school so the kids could all walk together. Both sets of twins had been way too excited which meant that their whole schedule was out of whack. On sunday night, they had managed to be in bed early enough so Matt and Gabby had time to make lunches for everyone, standing alone intheir respective kitchens.

"Time to wake up girls." Matt shook them lightly to wake them up.

"Is it time to go to school already dad?" Grace rubbed her eyes while Emma was already sitting up in her bed.

"We have to get dressed and eat some breakfast first, I made your favourite." That was enough to give them an extra boost up. Once they picked out their clothes and that Matt was satisfied, they got dressed and made their way downstairs. "First day of school. Are you guys excited?"

"I can't wait." Grace smiled as she put a piece of french toast in her mouth.

"And what about you Emma, ready to learn new things?"

"Uh huh." She took a bite out of her food and stayed quiet but her face was telling Matt something else.

"What's on your mind kiddo?"

"Are we going to be in the same class?"

"You and Grace?" She nodded, taking another bite.

"Yes. And Luis and Filippe?"

"Well you'll be with Grace that is for sure but I don't know about Luis and Filippe. We'll have to check once we get to school."

"Ok." She simply said, enjoying some more breakfast. They ate, making light conversation before they put all their dishes in the dish washer and finished to get ready before taking their bags full of supplies and putting everything in Matt's truck and heading out towards the school. Matt had agreed to meet up in front of the school so the kids would go in together.

* * *

Gabby knew she had to plan her day accordingly because of the boys new class schedule. She woke Valentina up first before getting her ready like she did every week day morning before waking the two boys up.

"Wake up you two sleepyheads." She kissed the top of their heads and tickled them awake. "Come on you two, we have to get ready." She made them laugh harder as her fingers worked their magic.

"We're ready mama." Filippe pushed his blanket proudly, revealing some fresh clothing.

"When did you get dressed?" She asked in wonder as Luis also showed that he was already dressed.

"Last night." Filippe announced, his million dollar watt smile on display for Gabby to admire.

"Excited about school much?" She said with a light touch of sarcasm, trying to stiffle a laugh.

"Yes mom." Luis was slightly less excited.

"Alright, let's go eat some breakfast and get ready before we drop your little sister off at daycare.

Gabby didn't have to much trouble getting them all ready and out the door towards her car.

"Is Tina coming to school with us mama?" Luis asked as he buckled himself in.

"She's still too little to go to school buddy but she'll be there soon enough." That seemed to satisfy his curiosity as she finished buckling in Valentina and then herself and they were off. Gabby dropped Valentina, the boys glued to her side before she walked across the street to where the school stood, Matt already waiting for them on the sidewalk with the girls. The kids were excited to see each other and the four of them hugged, Gabby sharing a kiss and a good morning with Matt.

"Are you guys excited about first day of school?"

"So excited in fact that they got dressed last night after I put them to bed."

"Is that so? Up top." Matt held his hand for the boys to slap and they did in turn, making Gabby laugh.

"What about you ladies, didn't give daddy too much grief this morning did you?" They shook their heads from side to side.

"They perked right up when I mentioned their favourite breakfast." They both laughed.

"I'll bet. I think your dad makes the best french toast in Chicago."

"Yes he does." Emma said matter of factly, making Gabby smile.

"How about we start going inside?" Matt said as more kids and their parents started coming in as well. The kids took the lead, both sets of twins holding hands. Gabby found it cute as Matt wrapped his arm around her shoulder as they walked in sync.

"Where's your head at?" He whispered to her ear. She looked like someone who had something on their minds.

"I can't believe my babies are starting kindergarten. I always envisioned this day with Alberto at my side." She knew deep down that she was being selfish for telling this to Matt while he was also going through this very important stage in his kids life alone. Matt looked down at her as tears filled her eyes.

"Hey, it's ok to talk about it." They were so in tuned with each other that it scared them both some times.

"I'm sorry. I know you are doing this alone too."

"I'm not alone, you're here with me and we have the kids. He'd be proud of you too Gabby."

"Thanks." She smiled up at him as he wiped her tears away

"Come on, let's get them settled.

Gabby and Matt both waited in the area where the kindergarten classes were situated and waited for teachers to get the groups together. Much to the twins surprise, the four of them were in Miss Alice's class. The kids were shown their cubbies as well as where to place each school supply that was on the list. Once that was done, the teacher invited them to give mommy and daddy a hug and a kiss before the parents left for the day, scheduled to return mid afternoon.

"I want you boys to have fun and I will be back to come pick you up with Matt when I finish work ok?" The boys engulfed her in a mini group hug, each giving her a kiss on the cheek.

"Bye mama." They both smiled proudly at her.

"I love you both."

"We love you too." They gave her a hug again and Gabby waited while Matt said his goodbye's too.

"I'm going to miss you daddy." Grace flung her arms around her dad's neck, Emma wrapping her arms around them as much as her little arms could.

"I'll miss you guys too but promise me you'll listen to your teacher ok?"

"We will daddy."

"I'll see you after school. I'll come pick you up and if Gabby wants, we can go to the park and for some ice cream."

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" They hugged each other one last time before the four of them left to sit on the ground in front of their teacher while Matt and Gabby left.

They walked over to Lakeshore since it was so close to the school and Matt dropped her off right outside of the peds department, cupping her face and gently kissing her.

"I'll come pick you up after your shift so we can go get the kids together."

"What did you promise these poor girls Matthew Casey?" She grinned.

"I might have told them that we would go with you, Valentina and the boys to the park and for some ice cream if you agreed to it." He grinned, hoping she wouldn't be mad for him somewhat making plans with her and for her. It only made her laugh harder.

"That's fine by me. I'll see you here at three thirty."

"Not one minute later." He smiled at her again before giving her one last kiss, letting her get to work.

Matt left Lakeshore and walked back to his truck before driving away to a construction gig he had lined up to occupy the next few hours of the day. Gabby kept her mind busy as well with her small patients, willing the clock to go by faster.

Without even realizing it, Gabby was writing down her final notes of the day so she could give the evening nurse a detailed report so she could meet up with Matt and go to the park with the kids. As promised, Matt was waiting for her at the peds front desk, ready to go get the kids as well.

The kids got all excited when they were told the good news. Gabby and Matt drove back to Matt's place before walking the short distance to the park close to his house. The kids blew off some excess energy from their first day of school, the five of them laughing as Matt and Gabby looked on, sitting close to each other. When Matt looked at his watch, it was time to go get the ice cream and then go home to get everything ready for the next day, Matt going back on shift the next morning.

Both adults walked hand in hand, enjoying watching their kids skip around them, still filled with excess energy. When they rounded the corning, Matt pulled her closer to him and kissed the top of her head as they walked. The closer they got to his house, the more Matt was having an uneasy feeling. The kids were now twirling around, all four of them behind both adults, Valentina holding her moms hand. They were only a few feet away from Matt's house when he stopped dead in his tracks. Someone was standing at the top of his stairs, their back facing this little made up family. Matt could recognise her anywhere. She turned around as Matt made it to the bottom of his stairs, their eyes connecting together.

"Matt." Her voice sounded like velvet. He instinctively held onto Gabby tighter and placed a hand in front of the girls, stopping them in their tracks.

"Hallie, what are you doing here?

TBC

* * *

 **a/n: Oh GOD!WHAT HAVE I DONE? Ok don't shoot me anyone. This idea has been swirling around in my head for some time now and Gygyfr was helpful in making me write it. I thought it was fitting to have her shake the apple tree a bit.**

 **I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and please take a few seconds to review before you go, I love reading what you guys think of what I write and I will see you ASAP, when time allows me. - Sarra**


	31. The pâst comes knocking

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and. The kids names.**

 **a/n: WOW! Twenty reviews for my last chapter and five from twitter, I'm truly blessed. Again, I'm going to apologize ffor falling off the grid these past few weeks and doing a poor job at updating this story and all my other ones but I promise I have a good excuse haha. I have been working crazy hours (at all three of my jobs) since going back after my maternity leave and I have been sick (alone with both my kids) so that's why I haven't been able to post a new chapter for this fic but I hope you will enjoy this latest effort.**

* * *

It was as if time stoood completely still. Matt and Hallie were face to face fo the first time in almost five years. He suddenly dropped his arm from around Gabby's shoulder and dropped it to his side. He couldn't understand what she was suddenly doing here. She had left them without even one word and now she was standing on his front porch.

"Daddy, who is this?" Emma's voice finally cut through the heavy silence that had suddenly come over everyone. Matt looked down in her direction, realising that he wasn't alone.

Matt opened and closed his mouth a few times before he could even form some words.

"She's a friend." He just couldn't bring himself to tell his daughters that standing in front of them was their mother. That she was the one person that should have been there to guide them in life, the one person that had abandonned them was back.

Gabby felt the wind knocked out of her lungs. The moment Matt stopped his step, she knew that standing in front of them was Hallie, the twins mother. His tighter grip around her shoulder was mostly from shock and then it simply came down to rest to his side. The boys and Valentina were confused as to what was happening around them, this entire situation was strange for them. They stood closer to both Emma and Grace, their little hands holding to each other. Then Gabby's attention was brought back to Emma's voice. She asked a question without knowing that its answer could change her whole life but she wasn't expecting Matt's answer. She suddenly took his hand in hers as a sign of comfort, showing him that she was there for him and what he did next surprised her too. He squeezed her hand a little bit tighter.

"What are you doing here?" He asked her again as she walked down the stairs.

"I came to see you." She simply said, a smile gracing her features.

"I think that you should leave."

"Don't be like that." Those words had Matt fuming.

"You don't get to tell me how to be. I want you to leave please." During the whole time, they couldn't keep their eyes off of each other. Matt didn't want to cause a scene in front of his house and hoped that she would get the hint that this wasn't the right time to hash this out. He didn't want his daughters to find out about their mom this way, specially after all that time.

"Ok." Hallie said, defeated and walked past the seven of them, making eye contact with Matt and throwing an evil glance towards Gabby. Once Matt was sure that Hallie's car was around the corner, he let go of the breath that he was holding.

"Come on girls, let's go inside." He finally found his voice again. The girls did as they were told, the boys following closely behind them, Gabby guiding Valentina inside as well, Matt taking the rear. Gabby helped them all go into the basement where she knew all the toys were, Matt taking the direction of the kitchen. She knew she needed to give him some time to process what had just transpired outside. Once she was sure all the kids were settled downstairs and that she gave her instructions, she went back upstairs to find Matt pacing, running both hands though his hair nervously. She waited, leaning against the cabinets, for him to acknowledge her. It took him more than five minutes to finally look up and blue eyes met brown and Gabby smiled softly.

"What's going through your head?" It was a simple enough question but he didn't know what to think.

"Why now?" Was all he could offer at this exact moment

"I don't know." Deep down, Gabby had fears of her own with Hallie being back. Did she just want to spend time with her daughters or would she want to be in Matt's life again too. She was trying to be supportive because she would give anything to have Alberto back in the kids life but she also knew what her heart wanted and that was Matt. Until this moment, she hadn't realised that she wanted to have it all with him. The only problem was that she wasn't the main concern of Hallie's sudden appearance. Matt had talked to her about the girls questionning why their mother had left, not wanting them and that broke her heart more than anything else.

"Do you want to have her back in your lives?" She knew she was pushing him to think about it but it was important for him to give it some thought.

"What answer do you want to hear from me?" He was upset and she could hear it in his slightly elevated tone.

"I just want you to tell me how you're feeling about this."

"She left us Gabby. That's how i'm feeling about this. " One day, she woke and decided that she didn't want this, that she didn't want us anymore. How am I supposed to explain to Emma and Grace that their mother didn't want them anymore, that she didn't want to have what could have been a great life with us?"

"I think you should talk to her first." She ventured farther in the kitchen, putting her own fears at bay and thinking about what was best for the girls.

"And tell her what?"

"How you feel. We haven't known each other very long but I know you keep things in and I'm pretty sure you never really talked to anyone about how it made you feel back then, not even with Severide." It was true that he hadn't really confided in anyone about how he felt when he found the note with Hallie's handwriting, telling him she was leaving them and subsequently when he recieved the sole custody papers with her signature at the bottom of them.

"And what about what we have? Don't you care that she's back?"

"I do care Matt but if I could have Alberto back in their lives, just for one second, I would take that chance."

"Alberto didn't choose to leave you Gabby, she did. They were so small and so vulnerable and she left them." He was still pacing along the length of his kitchen, his thoughts all in a jumble in his mind.

"And you took great care of them. I know you love these girls with all your heart and I know that you want what is best for them, you always have." She walked a bit farther in the kitchen, metting Matt half way, her hands coming to rest on his cheeks. His eyes were watering out of frustration from this situation. He didn't know how to feel about this and he certainly didn't know how to explain it to both Grace and Emma.

"What do I do now?" He was hoping to have some kind of guidance to clear his thoughs but Gabby wouldn't be the one to do that right now.

"I don't know Matt. That's something you need to figure out by yourself." She leaned into him and kissed his cheek. "It's been a long day. I'll take the kids and go, give you and the girls some time."

"You don't have to go." He desperately needed someone close to him.

"I think I do." She pulled away from him and headed towards the basement, Matt in tow. She got the boys prepared and they headed outside, Matt helping her with the kids as usual. He went back inside, the girls now back up from the basement, both sitting on the floor with toys between them.

"Are you ok daddy?" Emma got up to hug her dad.

"I'm am going to be ok."

"Who was that woman daddy? She was pretty."

"She is a friend." He repeated what he had told them the first time. He really didn't know how to explain it to them and was afraid that if he did tell them the truth, that their little minds would want nothing more than to have her back in their lives but he was the adult and he had to make the tough decisions, with their wellbeing in mind.

"Why did you make her go away then daddy?" Grace questionned from the floor, where she was lying on her stomach, a puzzle in front of her.

Matt wasn't expecting to get this kind of question but then again, his girls were always very perceptive. "I haven't seen her in a long time and she wasn't always a very nice friend.

"Are you going to see her again?" She kept questionning.

"I don't think so baby girl." He lied easily. "Now come on, it's time for bed." He got up from the couch and Grace put her puzzle away before they all went upstairs to get ready for bed. He helped them brush their teeth and settle them into bed before reading them a story before he closed the door half way and went back down, a million different thoughts going through his head. He peared into his fridge before settling on a beer and sitting on his couch, alone, a soft glow from the street lamps casting inwards,hostage to his thoughts.

* * *

Gabby drove back to her place, replaying everything that had happened tonight. Once she made it back home, she got the kids ready for bed and took some time to rethink about everything. From the feelings that went through her when she first laid eyes on Hallie, standing at the top of Matt's stairs, hoping to find him home. A part of her was jealous of the woman standing in front of her. She was beautiful, no doubt. A beauty she had passed onto her daughters. Then a wave of anger came through her. She couldn't believe how a woman could abandon the best man she had met since Alberto and two increadibly adorable and very well mannered little girls. And at last, the feeling of belonging and contentment she was feeling being a part of that family. She truly wanted everything with Matt and something inside of her wanted to protect him from it. She picked up her phone and pressed on speed dial.

"Antonio, I need your help." She spoke into the phone when her brother answered on the first ring.

* * *

Hallie forcefully closed the door to the hotel room she was occupying, dropping her keys on the front table. She had found a cheap but spacious hotel close to her and Matt's old place. It had taken her a lot of time to come to the realization that she had messed up by giving her daughters up in the first place. She had gone through the pregnancy, hoping that it would change something in her and that she would come to love the twins she was carrying but the deep depression that she had found herself in after giving birth had clouded her judgement, telling her she didn't want that life, that she didn't want to be defined by her kids so she left them, giving away her rights as a mother, giving Matt sole custody of the kids.

She thought that coming back and claiming what was hers would be easy but when she stood at the top of those steps, the sight of Matt smiling with another woman, it suddenly angered her. They were acting like the perfect family and she hated the other woman for it. Matt had always been loyal to a fault and she knew that he hadn't changed in the past five years. She knew that she'd have to talk to him again and she hoped that she would be able to sweet talk her way out of it. She showered and got ready for bed, an idea forming in her mind.

* * *

 **a/n: Ok so I thought I'd get rid of Hallie quickly but while writing this chapter, an idea formed in my mind so I'll just roll with it. I promise I won't let it go on for too long but it will be there for at least two more chapters. I really hope that you liked this chapter and please take a few minutes to review it before you go, I love hearing what you guys thing about it and I promise I'll do my best to update more often, or at least on a more regular basis. See you next chapter and I will get to updating other stories too when work is a little less crazy. - Sarra**


	32. Kicking and screaming

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and the kids names.**

 **a/n: Hey guys. Thanks again for the ton of reviews that were left on the last chapter and thanks also to the new followers of myself and this story, it means a lot to me. Thanks also to everyone who's been so patient with me and my return to work. I had a crazy week with little of sleep and too many hours on the job so I had to cheat and write secretly at work to get this chapter finished so I hope you enjoy it.**

* * *

Matt sat in his office, his mind clearly not on the incident report that was sitting on his desk. He looked at the picture of Grace and Emma that was sitting on it and couldn't help but smile. It was a brand new picture and that day was clear in his mind.

 _They ran through the park, Emma chasing Grace around, both girls laughing. Matt had taken them to the park, just the three of them. In the past months, they had spent a lot of time with Gabby and her kids and he didn't want the girls to think that they were going to spend less time with their father._

 _"I want a picture of the two of you." Matt screamed from his spot on the park bench._

 _"You already have a ton of pictures of us dad." Grace complained._

 _"I know but I need a new one for my office." He got up while Emma pulled a very reluctant Grace. They were standing in front of the slide, Emma's arm around her sister's shoulder and she was ready for the picture. Grace finally smiled but as soon as Matt pressed on the button, Grace made a funny face for the camera while Emma smiled, making Matt laugh as well._

The knock on his door pulled him out of his thoughts. "Hey Sev, what's up?" He looked at Severide who walked in and closed the door.

"I was going to ask you that same question. What's up with you? You're not your normal self." Matt ran a hand in front of his face.

"I'm sorry. Let's just say that the past came knocking on my door last night."

"You mean literally knock on your door?" He questionned, leaning against the wall, both arms crossed over his chest.

"Yeah. I told you we were going to the park after school and for some ice cream with Gabby and the kids right? Whell you'll never guess who was waiting for me on my front porch."

"You've got to be kidding me right?"

"I wish I was."

"You're telling me that Hallie was waiting for you when you got back from the park? Just like that?"

"Just like that."

"What did she want?"

"I didn't give her time to get to that. I told her to leave."

"Oh my god. What about the girls? What did you tell them?"

"I told her she was a friend. What was I supposed to tell them Kelly?"

"Man that's rough." They kept talking a bit until they heard glass breaking in the common room. They walked that way to find out what was going on.

* * *

Hallie woke up and got ready for her day. She wanted to get some errands done before going to the firehouse for a surprise visit. She knew that she'd cause quite the surprise but she didn't care. She knew that Matt was on shift and she knew that there wouldn't be anywhere to hide for him. Around eleven thirty, she went to a smile diner that she knew Matt loved and grabbed his favourite before driving towards the house. She parked in an available spot and walked up the firehouse apron and walked through the apparatus floor, finding the Squad table empty and the trucks in their respactive places, meaning that she was right on time for lunch break. She walked through the halls that she remembered and made her way to the center of the firehouse. When she walked into the common room, everyone looked in the direction of the doors and stopped what they were doing, all eyes were on her.

"Hi." She sweetly said, ignoring a few gaping mouths.

"Hallie?" Herrmann choked out, dropping the coffee mug he had in his hands.

"Nice to see you again Christopher." She smiled, talking as if they hadn't lost contact for the past five years.

"What are you going here?" He finally found his voice and his protective side came out once again.

"I came to see Matt." She simply said.

"I'm here, what do you want Hallie?" Matt appeared in the common room from the bunk area.

"I thought we could have lunch together." She raised the bag she had in her hands and smiled at him. Everyone in the house looked from Hallie to Matt, everyone wondering what was going on right now. Matt simply nodded in the direction of the hallway, Hallie following him, all eyes following her every move. What do you want Hallie? Matt turned around abruptly, facing her.

"I said I wanted to grab some lunch with you, I brought your favourite." She acted as if nothing was out of the ordinary.

"I haven't gone there in years."

"Look Matt, I just want to talk." She tried a different approach because the lunch excuse wasn't working.

"You can't just barge into my work place and expect me to want to talk."

"Well you didn't want to talk yesterday. I knew that I'd catch you on shift today so I took a chance."

"Well I don't want to talk today either."

"You can't just ignore me Matt. She was getting defensive and he was starting to get angry.

"I sure as hell can."

"We have kids together Matt. You have to talk with me at some point." This was Matt's breaking point and anger overflowed.

"YOU LEFT US!" He screamed, making Hallie jump slightly and the person behind her stop her step.

* * *

Gabby got to work with a few minutes to spare, running the last steps up to peds so she could relieve the night nurse.

"How's it going with loverboy?" Nathalie questionned her from the top of the nurses station.

"His name is Matt." She chuckled and rolled her eyes at her boss. She knew Nathalie loved to tease her about Matt ever since she found out they had started dating a few months back. "He's been doing great right until last night."

"What happened sweetie?"

"Everything between us is going great. It's uh, actually, his ex showed up last night."

"Oh God." She exclaimed. "Did the girls see her? How did he explain it to them?" The words all came out at once.

"He said she was a friend and I didn't stay very long." Nathalie was one of the few in the hospital that knew about Matt's past.

"That has to be tough."

"It is."

"What about you? How do you feel about it?" Gabby stopped what she was doing and put her pencil down, thinking about what she was about to say.

"At first thought, I just wanted the girls to have a mom because I would love for the boys to still have their dad but then when I thought about it some more, I realized that I really like Matt and I want more with him and they deserve so much more than someone who left them. Maybe it's me, maybe it's not but I just want them to be happy." She was really trying hard to let her brain talk and not just her heart.

"I think you should take an extra long lunch, grab some food and go spend some time with him at the firehouse."

"I can't do that." She tried protesting. "You need someone to cover for me and you don't so I won't."

"I'll cover for you." Nathalie smiled at Gabby.

"Thanks." She smiled. Gabby spent the rest of the morning, occupying her mind with the sick kids that were under her care before giving her report to Jessica and heading out. There was a small diner next to the hospital that she loved going to sometimnes so she grabbed some food for two and headed towards the firehouse. The garage doors were opened and the trucks were in so she smiled and walked up the apron and through the halls that she was now familiar with. She pulled the doors to the common room and walked in, a smile on her face. Shay quickly noticed her and smiled.

"Hey girl, what are you doing here?" She walked closer and pulled Gabby in a hug.

"I thought I'd come see if Matt was available for lunch." Shay looked behind her nervously and Gabby noticed it. "What's going on Shay?"

"Nothing."

"Really Shay?" Gabby made a face that said to not even try it.

"Matt got a surprise visitor."

"Hallie?" Gabby wasn't entirely surprised that Hallie had turned up here. She knew from the moment Hallie left, giving her the eye that she would attempt something else.

"You knew Hallie was in town?" Shay was surprised that she hadn't heard it from Gabby's mouth. "How come I didn't know she was in town?"

"I figured it was for Matt to tell you guys, not me." She shrugged.

"I think he's in the back." Gabby got a hug from everyone before she went looking for Matt. When she walked through the door, she could pick Matt's voice out in the less busy hall and he didn't sound happy. She ventured close, making as little noise as possible when Matt's outburst was heard.

"YOU LEFT US!" His voice was filled with a mix and red hot anger and pain. It tugged at Gabby's heart strings. Hallie had her back to her and she saw her flinch when he screamed out. Silence suddenly filled the small hallway, the three people occupying it processing what just happened. Matt finally acgowledged Gabby with a smile and Hallie turned around to see why he was smiling.

"And of course, she has to show up." She raised her hands up exasperated. "This is a private conversation." She said rudely.

This conversation is over. Matt simply said, walking around Hallie and kissing Gabby on the cheek before taking her hand in his.

"This conversation is far from over Matt." Hallie couldn't believe that this was happening but her thoughts were cut off by the overhead paging system

 _ **Engine 51, Truck 81, Squad 3, Ambulance 61, Battallion 25 kitchen fire**_

Matt couldn't believe that a call was coming in at this exact moment when his ex and current girlfriend were standing in the firehouse but he had to go.

"Raincheck?" He asked Gabby

"Absolutely." He kissed her lips sweetly and quickly turned to Hallie.

"And you need to be gone when I come back." He told Hallie before leaving quickly, his job taking priority in this case. He only hoped that it wouldn't explode in his face.

Gabby decided that she would leave what she had taken with her in Matt's office for when he came back and she turned around without one word to Hallie but her attempt at avoiding the issue was rendered moot when Hallie caught up with her in the common room.

"Hey you, I'm not done with you." Gabby was aware no introductions had been made but it didn't mean that that she wanted any kind of confrontation with the woman.

"Listen Hallie, I'm not looking to cause any trouble here." Gabby started. She wasn't sure which way this was going to go.

"Well that's too bad." Clearly this was going to go sideways and Gabby needed to get back to the hospital.

Firehouse 51 arrived on scene to find the fire already out by the owners of the house,frustrating Matt further. The guys quickly packed up while 61 stayed behind to take care of minor burns. Cruz parked 81 in its spot next to 3 and they all got out.

"It'll be alright lieutenant." Herrmann patted Matt on the back. He knew how frustrated his friend was with Hallie being back in the picture and what everyone in the house had clearly heard earlier.

"I just hope she left when we did but something tells me she didn't." Antonio walked up right before Matt walked into the house. "Hey Antonio, what are you doing here?"

"Gabby gave me a call last night, told me what happened. She asked for my help." He simply said, not bothering to explain anything but the voices coming from the other side of the door caught their attention, both pushing forward to prevent something bad from happening.

"Do you really think you can play house with Matt and my girls?" Hallie questionned Gabby harshly.

"The way I look at it, you left them, you lost the right to call them your girls a long time ago." Gabby was tired of letting Hallie verbally abuse her. She had tried to not let it affect her when she started more than thirty minutes ago.

"You know nothing about me." Hallie cut in.

"I know that you left a great man and a great family. How could you even do that to them? You just left them, without a mom and I think that's pretty selfish of you." Gabby had never really told Matt what she was feeling when he told her about Hallie leaving them but having the woman responsible for it in front of her and attacking her for no reason angered her and she was fed up with it.

"You little bitch." The both of them were close enough that Gabby never saw the punch coming her way but her jaw felt the pain and she stumbled backwards a little bit, Matt catching her and Antonio had his arms around Hallie's waist, pulling her away.

"Are you out of your mind?" Matt hissed, looking at Hallie who was trying to get out of Antonio's grip.

"That little slut deserved it." She pointed in Gabby's direction, who was running a thumb on her bloody lip while Shay was trying to tend to her.

Matt had never seen Hallie like this in the eight years they had been together but she wasn't the woman he used to know anymore. Antonio looked at both Matt and Gabby in turn before Matt gave him the nod.

"You're under arrest for assault." Hallie fought him but Antonio was stronger and he managed to put her in cuffs.

"This isn't over Matt." She screamed, Antonio using a bit more force against her uncooperative body to move her past Matt and Gabby along with the rest of the house. He looked at Gabby before he left to take Hallie down to the district.

Both Matt and Gabby knew that Antonio couldn't keep her longer than overnight unless charges were formally filed but the both of them needed to finish their work shift. Matt walked back to Gabby who was now sitting down at the kitchen table, Shay kneeled down in front of her with a cold cloth.

"Are you ok?" He could finally give her all of his attention. The rest of the house went back to its usual business, trying not to talk about what had just happened.

"Yeah it's just a scratch." She smiled painfully as she removed the cloth to show him.

"Honey, that will be swelling before you know it." Shay figured she'd give her two cents while Gabby gave her the death glare.

"I promise it's fine." She stood up, handing Shay the cloth again.

"Let me drive you back to work at least."

"You're on shift Matt, I can't let you do that but I can swing by after mine and cook dinner for everyone, how does that sound?"

"Don't you have to go pick up the kids?"

"They're staying at Antonio's for the night, he's supposed to teach them how to box." She rolled her eyes. She really wished that Antonio wouldn't do that but he loved boxing and wanted to teach it to his nephews.

"Then I would love that." He smiled and pulled her in a hug, playing a soft kiss on her forehead.

"Alright I left you some lunch in your office, you might have to heat it up though."

"Thanks. I'll see you here later." He kissed her and let her walk away.

"Bye guys, I'll see you later." Everyone said by from where they were seated and she left, Matt making his way to his office again.

He sat at his desk and picked up his phone, dialing Lakeshore's familiar number, letting it ring a few times before someone answered. He asked for the peds department and waited for someone to answer.

 **This is Nathalie speaking, can I help you?** Matt remembered Gabby talking about her boss Nathalie from work so it was just perfect. "Hi it's Matt Casey, I work at the fire department." **So finally I put a voice to the man that makes Gabby smile so much.** Matt chuckled. "That would be me. Listen, something happened at the firehouse just now and I just wanted to make sure Gabby was ok. Do you mind keeping an eye out for her?" He didn't want to seem like he was hovering but he knew that she was lying when she said she was ok so he was just concerned. **What happened Matt?** Matt exhaled when that question was asked but he was pretty sure she'd share it with her herself. "I'll let her tell you herself, just keep an eye on her please?" **Of course, thanks for the heads up Matt.** "Anytime." He said one last time into his phone before he pressed the end button and put it back on his desk, opening the brown bag that was in front of him and eating what Gabby brought him for lunch before going back to the incident report that was still sitting on his desk.

TBC

* * *

 **Gabby and Hallie finally went at it while the guys were at a fire, not ending entirely too well for Hallie. The next chapter will be a direct continuation of this one and we'll finally find out what happened to Hallie so stick around, I'll do my best to update soon. Please take a few seconds to review before you go, I always love to find out what you guys think - Sarra**


	33. She's out of my life

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and the kids names.**

 **a/n: I want to thank everyone again for your patience with me for my writing since I've gotten back to work. I do a lot of hours at both my jobs and it's not easy to stay awake to sit and write so thanks for sticking with me. Thank you also to the new followers of this story, I hope you're enjoying it.**

 **Now as I said before, this chapter is a direct continuation of the last one so I hope that you enjoy it.**

* * *

Matt tried finishing the insident reports that were sitting in front of him after lunch so it would be done before the end of shift, hoping to have a few quiet hours without calls to do so. His mind kept drifting to Gabby ever so often, wondering how she was doing. He still couldn't believe Hallie's strange behaviour and it only made him ponder if he really wanted her to play a role in the kids life in the future.

"You ok lieutenant?" Herrmann peaked his head through the door of Matt's office.

"I'm not sure anymore Herrmann." He rubbed his hand over his face, the older man coming in without being invited.

"I was so shocked when I saw her, I can't even imagine how you felt."

"I didn't even see her coming. I was with Gabby and the kids and she was just there, standing on my porch, as if nothing had happened."

"Ah man, what did you tell the girls?"

"Nothing Herrmann. I told them she was a friend but wasn't always a nice friend. And after everything that's happened with Gabby, I don't know what to do anymore."

"The real question is do you want her to be part of Emma and Grace's life? They're the ones who need protecting from Hallie coming back into town."

"I just can't believe she would attack Gabby like that. It's so unlike her."

"Jealousy makes you do crazy things Casey. I think that she thought that she'd be able to come back easily but instead she found out you're going out with someone else."

"Did she really expect me to just wait for her? Emma and Grace are the best thing that's ever happened to me and I just want to keep them safe."

"Are you going to press charges against her?"

"I should. I'm sure Gabby's jaw is bruised by now. Thank god the girls weren't here to see that."

"Have you told Christie about Hallie being back?"

"My brain hasn't even had time to fully process it but I should give her a ring and tell her so she's not blind sighted if Hallie pulls something off."

"I'll let you to it then Casey but I'm always there if you need me lieutenant."

"Thank you Christopher." Matt smiled at Herrmann as he exited his office and he picked up his phone from the desk, dialing Christie's number and waiting for her to answer.

He spent almost thirty minutes with her on the phone, some minutes she was speechless, some she was screaming, prompting Matt and pull the phone away from his ear.

* * *

Gabby walked back into the peds department, her jaw was throbbing. She knew that nothing was broken otherwise it would have hurt a great deal more but she couldn't wait to take something to help with the swelling. She took two big white pills and three little brownish red ones and downed a glass of fresh water before sitting back down at her station, hoping no one would notice the shape she was in. She looked at her files and ignored the little gasp that she heard coming from the nurse next to her, no doubt laying eyes on her for the first time.

"What happened Gabby?" She questioned. Gabby could feel her staring at the bruise as if she had never seen one in her life.

"Nothing special. Got on the recieving end of a scuffle." She said lightly, hoping she would drop the subject.

"Gabby, can you come see me in my office please?" Nathalie peeked her head outside of her office, saving Gabby from further being questionned.

"Hey Nat, what's up?"

"Nothing, just thought I'd save you from being the gossip on this floor."

"Thanks, it means a lot but I can't hide in here forever." Gabby looked up and her eyes met a pair of worried looking ones.

"Geeze Gabby, what happened?"

"I may of may not have gotten in a one sided fight with Matt's ex about an hour ago." She shrugged. She really didn't want to worry about that too much right about now.

"Let me go get you some ice and some supplies and I'll come clean out the cut."

"Shay already cleaned it when I was at the house." Her jaw was sore but she felt fine.

"You look everything BUT fine."

"You don't need to hover over me Nathalie, I'll be fine."

"I sort of, might have given my word to one sexy sounding fire fighter."

"He didn't have to call here. I knew nothing was broken."

"He asked me to keep an eye on you and I said that I would so that's what I'm doing. You are going to take this." She handed Gabby an x-ray form, a reluctant action from Gabby's side as she did.

"I swear I'm fine Nathalie."

"When I hand your images to Dr. Spencer and he says that everything is ok, then I'll decide if you're fine."

"I swear Nathalie. If something was wrong, I'd know."

"No, you are an annoying and uncooperative woman right now. Just humour me and get it done please?"

"Fine." Gabby sighed dramatically and held up the form Nathalie had given her a few minutes ago. "I'll get this done but when nothing is wrong, you will have to leave me alone.

"That's a deal but let me just tell you something. That boy of yours, he's a keeper." Nathalie smiled at the younger woman.

"I know." Gabby smiled back.

"And he loves you." Nathalie knew these kinds of things and from hearing Matt's voice on the phone when he called her, he was one of the good guys.

"He does NOT love me Nat. We just started dating for crying out loud." Gabby blushed furiously.

"Mark my words Gabby. Matthew Casey loves you just as much as he loves his two little girls."

"I'm gone now." Gabby got up and left Nathalie's office, not giving her any time to answer her.

Gabby went down the stairs and straight to the ER, giving her form to someone in charge and explaining what had happened and that he boss wanted those to eliminate an underlying condition. She waited a few minutes before she was called into imagery. It only took a few minutes before she was told she was free to go so she walked took the elevator this time and went back to work, waiting for Nathalie to come back with the news.

It took about an hour before she was pulled back into Nathalie's office, only an hour left on the clock before she left to buy some food for the firehouse.

"Dr. Spencer just called me. You have internal contusions on top of that very large bruise that you're sporting so he wrote you a prescription that should help with the swelling." Nathalie handed her a small piece of paper with what she would need to get from the drugstore on her way out.

"I told you nothing was broken." She smirked.

"Ha ha, very funny. Now get out of here and have fun at the firehouse later."

"Thanks Nat." She folded the piece of paper and put it in her uniform pocket before going to make sure all her patients had their afternoon pills and she wrote up her report before said it to the evening nurse coming in.

She walked down the stairs and quickly got out of the hospital before going to the store to pick out her supplies. She decided she'd make a chilli since there were so many people so after paying for the food, she drove towards the firehouse. She grabbed as many bags as she could and walked up the firehouse apron and onto the apparatus floor where she was greeted by Severide.

"Hey Gabby, let me help you." He took a few bags before he laid eyes on her jaw. "Damn Gabby, that's some bruise."

"Don't worry, I feel it thank you." She rolled her eyes, trying not to smile so it wouldn't hurt even more.

"Need anymore help?"

"I still have a few bags in my car but I'll be good to bring the rest by myself, thanks Kelly." He smiled at her and turned around to bring the bags in the common room while she did the same towards her car. She came back in and the guys from Squad had returned to their card playing at their table. She walked through the common room doors and called a hello to everyone, going directly towards the stove to start cooking dinner. Shay came next to her to start chopping up the vegetables but Matt wasn't anywhere to be seen.

"If you're looking for loverboy, he's in the shower. Feeling any pain?"

"It was throbbing when I first got back from lunch but Nathalie had me get an x-ray to make sure nothing was broken and Dr. Spencer gave me something for the pain and swelling, I feel better."

"Glad to hear that. Matt's been worried about you though."

"I know. He called Nathalie to ask her to keep an eye out for me, hense the x-ray."

"I swear that boy has it BAD for you."

"Would you guys stop saying that? We've just started seeing each other."

"I'm just saying, I see the way he looks at you, he loves you."

"Stop it Shay." She giggled, giving her a hip bump, making Shay's laugh vibrate through her throat."

Matt walked through the common room doors from the bunk area, running a hand through his wet hair, a smile on his face that fell the moment he saw the big bruise on Gabby's cheek. He walked up to her and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips.

"God Gabby! It looks bad. Does it hurt?" Concern was evident in his voice.

"Numbing pain actually but the drugs are helping with that."

"You mind taking a walk with me?" To say that they were avoiding a talk wasn't true but a lot of things and people got in the way of that very important conversation. Matt pulled her to him as they left the common room and headed towards his office. "Are you sure you're ok? It looks really painful."

"It was throbbing alot when I got back to Lakeshore but since I took the meds before coming here, it feels better."

"Nothing broken?"

"Nothing broken." She smiled up at him. Matt led her into his office and closed the door.

"I'm glad." He pulled her to him and kissed her hair.

"Heard anything from Antonio?" She broke the silence they were in.

"Nothing yet but I figured he'd call you first."

"I guess we'll just have to wait and see." Matt pulled her towards his bunk and sat down with her next to him.

"We need to talk about us Gabby."

"What about us?" Worry now creased her forehead as she looked at him.

"We haven't talked about where we want us to lead."

"Matt." She tried to protest but he didn't give her the opportunity too.

"I know we said that we would take it slow but I came to realize that I want to be with you, always."

"Matt." She warned. "You need to take care of Hallie first before we can even think of wanting more with us."

"Hallie isn't a problem Gabby."

"I want to have it all with you too but Hallie is still here and she's still an issue."

"She doesn't have to be. All you have to do is press charges and she won't be a problem."

"I won't press charges against her Matt." Gabby stood up, Matt giving her a clueless expression.

"Why not Gabby?"

"Because I said some words too Matt. I have as much responsability in this as she does."

"But that makes no sense Gabby." It made absolutely no sense to Matt that after all of this, Gabby didn't want to press charges.

"It doesn't have to make sense to you Matt, it only has to make sense for me." Some part of her felt like she was suffocating so without another word, she got up and left Matt's office, heading straight for the bathroom but Matt instinctly got up and followed her.

"Gabby, stop." He called just as she entered the bathrooms, the door barely swinging closed before Matt swung it back open. "You can't honestly tell me that you'll just let her walk away from this."

"And what will that accomplish huh Matt?" She argued.

"It will accomplish that she won't get away with hurting you Gabby."

"I'm ok Matt."

"Is this ok?" He spun her around quickly and they were both facing the mirror, Gabby's bruise the first thing that jumped out. they stayed quiet for a few very long seconds before Gabby's ringing phone startled them both. She pulled it out of her pocket and answered it.

"Hey Antonio, what's up?" Matt moved around her to stand directly in front of her. "Yeah, we can swing by in the morning. Thanks Tonio." She hung up the phone and put it back in her pocket.

"What was that all about?" He asked when he got no reaction to his holding her hand now.

"Antonio wants to see us at 21 in the morning, he says to bring the legal documents she sent you when she left." Matt was puzzled as to why they would need those papers but it didn't matter. He would swing by his place when shift ended and grab those and meet Gabby there.

"Sure."

"Crap, dinner."

"Come on, let's go feed the masses." He pulled her to him and they walked out of the bathroom an arm around each other and they went back to the common room where Shay had finished chopping everything with Mills.

"Thanks guys." She smiled at them and Mills went back to sit down while Shay watched Gabby work, perched on the counter next to her.

"So what's the deal with Hallie? Are you going to press charges?"

"No."

"Gabby." Shay exclaimed shocked.

"The blame's half on me, you didn't hear what I told her."

"Gabby, I haven't known you for that long but I know that whatever it is you told her was probably just the truth and she didn't accept it and she lashed out." She picked some veggies out of the plate, earning a hand slap from Gabby.

"Wait until it's ready." Gabby smirked.

"I can't it smells so good." She whined. "We need to do a girls week end thing just the two of us, no kids and no man."

"I'd have to check when we're both free and that my parents don't mind babysitting."

"Oh we will. We haven't done anything together in a long time."

"Forever actually." Gabby pouted, Matt laughing from the table when he saw her. It was true that they hadn't spent as much time together as they would have liked so a girls week end would do them good.

It took about thirty minutes and thankfully no call before the food was ready, Gabby calling everyone to chow. Everyone complimented her on the food, the common room becoming quiet for one rare occasion. Gabby served everyone and made sure to bring chief a bowl in his office before coming back to the common room and sitting down next to Matt with a bowl of her own.

"This food is phenominal mama." Cruz complimented her.

"Thanks Joe." She blushed lightly as Matt squeezed her knee under the table. Everyone returned their dishes and Gabby cleaned everything, Matt at her side, drying the dishes as she rinced them. They stayed like that in relative silence,a few laughs escaping their lips on occasion. Once they were done and everything was put back in their original place, the overhead paging system called them to a house fire.

"I'll come pick you up after shift so we can go to the district together." He quickly kissed her cheek and left running to truck 81. She finished cleaning up before leaving to go home. She took a steaming hot shower and a few pain pills and settled into bed, her phone dinging, Matt telling her he was back safely. She was always thankful of these small attentions from him, only confirming her want to have their relationship move forward. She called Antonio's house to say goodnight to the kids before she turned off the lights and drifted to sleep.

* * *

51 had a heavy night with calls and little sleep. Matt settled into his office and briefly closed his eyes, wishing for the night to be over with so he could finish taking care of the problem that was haunting him. He had loved Hallie very much in the past but those feelings had changed when she had left and had changed again when she came back. All he wanted now was to build something with Gabby and her kids and his own. First watch slowly started to come in and Matt got up and changed before packing everything in his bag and leaving. He walked out of the house and headed for his truck when Severide came jogging his way.

"What's the plan for today?"

"I have to go swing by 21st to see Antonio about Hallie." He sighed.

"Donyou think it'll be over soon?"

"I hope so. I just want to move on with my life Sev."

"I hope for you too." Kelly slapped Matt on the back and turned to go to his car where Shay was waiting for him. He texted Christie to give her an update and drove towards his house to quickly pick up the papers Antonio asked for before going to pick Gabby up. He knew the kids weren't there so it would go by quickly. When he turned onto her street, he could already see her leaning against her car, waiting for him. She got in as soon as he came to a stop.

"You should have waited inside."

"I couldn't sleep at five anymore so I got ready and couldn't hold still anymore."

"Does it still hurt?" He questionned as he pulled out of her street.

"It's only a numbing pain." She lied, feeling her heatbeat in her cheek.

"You need to press charges Gabby." He said firmly.

"I'm not changing my mind Matt, I won't press charges." Matt huffed his frustration out as they made the short drive to the district. Matt took hold of Gabby's hand as they climbed the stairs into the station and were greeted by a smiling Platt.

"What can I do for you?"

"We came to see Antonio." gabby smiled back at her and Platt took the phone, calling Antonio down. They waited only a few minutes before Antonio made his way over to them.

"Hey little sis, how're you doing?" He hugged her.

"Barely hurts anymore." She knew she had a better chance at lying to Matt but Antonio was another story. He gave herba funny look and then looked at Matt.

"Matt."

"Antonio." Both men shook hands without exchanging any other word.

"Come on, Voight wants to talk to the two of you first." Both nodded and followed Antonio up the stairs and into the IU department. The walked to his office and walked in, Antonio closing the door behind them. Voight was leaning into his chair and nodded to the both of them before they sat down.

"Did you bring what I asked you?" Antonio questionned Matt.

"Yes but I don't know what those papers can do for us."

"What we're trying to establish is that the documents are legal and that she signed away her rights as a mother and with that, you have to decide if you're pressing charges against her." Voight explained to them but Gabby cut him off.

"I'm not pressing charges." She said firmly.

Both Matt and Antonio were about to protest when Voight spoke up, seeing the determination in Gabby's eyes. "Now that it's settled, can I have a look at those papers?" He had seen enough of those documents in his many years in PD so he knew what they looked like. Matt handed him the documents.

"She mailed those to me after she left, the girls were only 5 months old." You could hear emotions rolling off of Matt, clearly he was remembering that day as if it was yesterday.

"And she never came back once or called since that day?" Voight beeded to be thorough to make sure that could win this.

"Not until two days ago."

"Good. Let me make a few phone calls and I think we can get this done before the day is over."

"Thank you."

"Go get breakfast and i'll call you a bit later sis."

Both Matt and Gabby got up and thanked Voight before heading out and going to the closest diner.

"Where is your mind at?" Gabby asked as Matt was peering in his cup of coffee.

"I just want all of this to be over with so we can move on."

"Let's just hope Antonio has good news for us later." They recieved their food and they ate quietly, enjoying some rare quiet time together. About an hour later, Matt's phone rang and he quickly answered it and ended the call.

"Antonio wants us back at 21." Matt put some money on the table for both their plates and got up.

"Already?" Gabby stood up then.

"Let's just hope it's good news." They left and Gabby took Matt's hand in hers, squeezing it lightly. They were buzzed up as soon as they arrived and both Voight and Antonio were waiting for them. They went into his offic once more and sat down again.

"Is it normal that it happened so quickly?" Gabby asked out loud what Matt was wondering in his head.

"A judge owed me a favour, we can go meet him in his office at the court room in thirty minutes." Both Matt and Gabby knew that it wasn't won yet but they were both happy that it could be resolved quickly. They went down the stairs with both Voight and Antonio and Atwater was taking a still cuffed, very angry Hallie along.

"You're not going to het away with this Matt." Voight instructed them not to say a word and they left behind the police cruiser in Voight's SUV, heading for the court house. They met up in the judge's office, Matt, Gabby, Antonio and Voight on one side and Halli and Atwater on the other side, the judge still not there. They all stayed quiet, even Hallie, probably trying to make a good impression. It took another ten minutes before the judge came walking in, a crisp suit on.

"Ok so we're here to take care an important matter concerning Emma and Grace Casey." He started, no one daring to interrupt him. "In the interest of protecting two young and vulnerable children, we're doing this behind closed doors. From what i've understood is that Miss Hallie Thomas signed away her rights as a mother of the two girls, four and a half years ago and has returned to get her family back. Is that correct?"

"Yes." Hallie said sweetly first.

The first portion of the meeting was about gathering the facts, giving the judge a better understanding of the situation. Then came the individual interrogations betweek both Matt and the judge then Hallie with the judge. Hallie got escorted out of the office and Antonio and Voight left as well, leaving Matt with Gabby for just a few seconds.

"Good luck." She simply said, kissing his cheek and leaving the small office, leaving Matt to sit down.

"Mr. Casey. Can you tell me what happened in the past five years?" It was a simple question but it would take Matt more than a few minutes to tell the judge his story."

Gabby was pacing outside the office, arms crossed over her chest as Antonio and Voight were sitting patiently, their eyes following Gabby's pacing.

"Stop pacing sis, you're walking a hole in the floor." Gabby only glared his way but Hallie smirked at her.

"That's because she knows that I will win."

"That's enough." Voight's voice boomed over Hallie's, prompting her to stop talking. It took more than thirty minutes before the door opened and Matt came out, stopping Gabby from her pacing.

"I'll hear miss Thomas now." Atwater un-cuffed her and she walked into the office, giving her whole audience a sweet smile. Matt pulled Gabby in his arms as the door closed.

"How did it go?" She looked up at him, trying to gage his reaction.

"Well I think. We'll just have to wait a little bit more to find out." It took Hallie even more time than Matt if that was even possible. The door opened once more and the judge invited both Matt and Gabby to join them, leaving Antonio and Voight outside to wait on the verdict and Atwater inside to wait for his final instructions.. Matt let Gabby sit down first and then took a seat next to her, taking her hand in his.

"Alright so I've had the opportunity to hear both sides of the story and I've been able to reach a decision concerning both Emma and Grace Casey. I've been doing this job for quite some time now and I've seen my share of custody battles but from what I've gathered from both sides, I can't say I've seen this one so often." Matt gave Gabby's hand an extra squeeze, his nerves suddenly kicking in. "Mr. Casey. I've rarely seen this much sincerity and love from a father but you've shown me that those two girls mean the world to you and that all you have is their best interest at heart. As for Miss Thomas, although I sense some kind of remorse on your part, I've witnessed more than my share of both men and woman claiming to have made a mistake and although some of your plea seems sincere, I can't make the same statement as I have for Mr. Casey. With all the evidence and the documents I've been given, I maintain the legal documents I have here and award sole custody of Grace and Emma to Mr. Casey without visitation rights to Miss Thomas" Matt's body relaxed from his nervous stance, a smile spreading across his lips and a gasp slipping from Hallie's lips.

"You can't do this to me." She screamed, raising from her chair. "They need me in their lives." She maintained her charade for a bit longer.

"Sit down Miss Thomas." The judge's voice was firm and clear. "You are lucky that Miss Dawson is not pressing charges for assault. You are free to go but you will be escorted out of the state limits by Chicago PD and let your daughters lead a normal and happy life, just as they have in the past. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes your honour." She hung her head down defeated.

Matt and Gabby got up, hugging each other as Hallie was escorted out, without handcuffs, by Atwater who knew what his orders were. When Antonio saw both Matt and Gabby's smiles, he knew they had won.

"Thank you." Matt extended his hand to Voight.

"Anytime." Both men shook hands and the four of them left the courthouse right behind Hallie as she was put back in the police cruiser, on her way to pack her bags and leave town.

"How about we go get the kids and grab some lunch all together?" Matt offered Gabby with a smile, his arms wrapped around her waist.

"I would want nothing more than to spend some time with you and the kids." She leaned up and kissed him tenderly, both happy to have this done with. They left and went to grab Gabby's car before heading the opposite directions to pick up their kids with a promise to meet back up a restaurant next to the park and the ice cream parlour to spend some well deserved family time.

* * *

 **a/n: Hallie finally leaves town disgraced and without what she came back for, her family. After finding comon ground and not pressing charges, Matt and Gabby can now move forward together.** **Please take a few minutes to leave a review and tell me what you guys thought of this chapter. NOW! I know you won't be too happy about this news BUT it has to be done. I'm gonna take a mini break from writing this story so I can write a new chapter to Coming Home and other stories. Its chapters are longer and next chapter is Matt and Gabby's honeymoon and I need to do research on Hawaii to be able to write something good but I will be back with it as soon as it's done :) - Sarra**


	34. Conversations pt 4

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and the kids names.**

 **a/n: Ok so I KNOW I said that I was taking a small break from writing this story because I needed to update some other ones BUT after the season premiere and all the Dawsey feelings I've been having, I thought I'd write them a little bit of fluff together post Hallie drama.**

 **Thanks to everyone who reviewed (19 + twitter reviews) WOW that's AMAZING! And welcome to the new followers, I really hope you're enjoying it so far. Enjoy this next chapter.**

* * *

Matt and Gabby had planned a quiet evening together now that Hallie was out of town. All three of Gabby's kids were sleeping over at her mom's and Matt's girls were at Christie's as usual.

"So what are the kids up to tonight?" Matt placed his hands in Gabby's hips as she cooked dinner.

"Dad's hosting a game night." She chuckled.

"I take it they're fun."

"They usually end up being a huge restling match in the living room, pillows flying everywhere."

"We just might have pillows flying everywhere later too." He kissed her neck, a giggle escaping her lips as Matt's arms snaked their way around her waist.

"You are terrible Matt Casey." She giggled again. They had been playful around each other since the day at the courtroom, a weight had disapeared from their shoulders.

"I know." He placed his chin in the crook of her neck and breathed her in. It amazed him how without even trying and withought artificial things, Gabby smelled amazing. She was wearing a pair of black skinny jeans with a plaid shirt, her hair down in her natural curls and she was barefoot and yet she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. "Food smells amazing baby."

"Enough with the sweet talking, dinner is ready." She moved the food off the hot stove top and turned in Matt's arms so she could face him.

"You look beautiful." He whispered as he dipped down and pressed his lips to hers in a soft kiss. Gabby's lips curled into a smile, her eyes still closed as Matt pulled away slightly. "The food will be cold." He kissed her forehead as she opened her eyes.

They settled at the table and ate in light conversation, the subject often coming back to their kids, both Matt and Gabby telling about the funny things the kids had done all week. They picked up the table and cleaned the dishes together like they often did when they were together and then they settled with a glass of wine and a bottle on beer on the couch, Gabby's legs propped up on Matt's lap.

"How was your week at the firehouse?" She asked casually as she drank some wine.

"Eventful." He sighed. It had been a crazy week like he'd rarely seen.

"You're be careful I hope."

"Always." He smiled at her reassuringly. "What about you? A lot of sick kids?"

"Actually, it's been quiet lately, which my mommy heart doesn't mind so much."

"I can't even imagine how it must be to see kids sick all the time."

"It doesn't get easier I'll tell you that."

A comfortable silence settled in for a few moments, Matt's mind suddenly going so far away that he didn't hear Gabby calling out his name.

"Matt?" She asked again, this time getting through to him.

"Yeah sorry."

"Don't be sorry, I just worry, is everything ok?"

"Yeah, everything is fine." He lied, clearly not convincing Gabby.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"It's fine, really."

"You know you can talk to me right?" Matt didn't really miss a beat when she said that.

"I could have lost the girls last week and I don't know what I would have done if that would have happened."

"Hey. That judge saw right through her act and there's no way in hell he would have given her any kind of custody rights."

"I was so nervous in there Gabby."

"We never talked about what happened in that room."

 _"Mr Casey, Please tell me what happened in the past five years." It was a simple enough question in Matt's mind but not so easy or a short story to tell._

 _"When the girls were born, I thought it was a new beginning, with a girl I loved and two girls that instantly became the best part of me. Maybe it's my fault for not seeing the signs but Hallie changed in the following months. I had read about post-partum depression but I never imagined it was that bad until one morning, she was gone, leaving a simple note behind, my heart in pieces." Matt was trying to keep his tears from falling as his mind brought him back to that very day._

 _"And what happened after that?"_

 _"I made it my mission to be everything Grace and Emma needed, even if that meant mine would become on the back burner. A few weeks later, I recieved papers in the mail."_

 _"What did they say?" The judge knew what was written on those pages but he wanted the father in front of him to tell him._

 _"They were legal documents, saying Hallie was giving up her rights and that the girls were all mine."_

 _"And how did life change from then on?"_

 _"I would have the girls with me every day off I had from the firehouse and on the days I would work, they would be at daycare and my sister Christie or my family at 51 supported me so I could give the best to my daughters."_

"I felt as though my heart was breaking all over again."

"I'm proud of you Matt." She pulled her legs off of his lap and took his beer with her wine and placed them on the side table before straddled him. "You gave these girls all the love they could ever hope for and you've raised them to become very lovely young ladies. You should be proud of that too." Matt placed a strand of hair that had fallen in her eyes and kissed her gently.

"Thank you." He kissed her softly first before she leaned her body into his, his hands resting on her hips and hers against his chest as he deepened it. They made out until air became an issue, both staring into each other's eyes.

"Matt." She whispered as she closed her eyes, her breathing shallow and her heart beating a mile a minute in her chest.

"Hhumm?" He kissed her again as she opened her eyes.

"Feel this." She took his hand and held it to her chest, Matt feeling the rapid heartbeat under his fingers. "My heart hasn't felt this alive in a long while and it's has nothing to do with chance. Since I met you, I've gotten to know this amazing father and an increadible man and what I'm saying is that I've fallen in love with you." She knew it was soon and it was a bold move but it was the truth and she was tired of hiding it. Matt stayed silent for what seemed like an eternity before his lips formed a smile and he kissed her again.

"I've been wanting to say these words to you but I was scared you'd run because it was so soon."

"I'm tired of denying it to myself. I love you, I'm in love with you Matt." She smiled back at him.

"I love you too." Matt pulled her to him and crashed his lips on hers. Her hands tangled in his hair as she deepened it, the love and the lust taking over them. Matt managed to get them up, Gabby wrapping her legs around his waist, a giggle escaping her lips.

"You're crazy." She laughed as Matt attacked her neck with his lips.

"Uh huh." His lips finding the spot on her shoulder that made her moan each time. He walked through the threshold of Gabby's room and slowly lowered her down onto the bed, keeping just enough weight off of her, his lips claiming hers once again.

He slowly started unbuttoning her shirt, his lips following his fingers movement, placing feather light kisses along the way. Her breathing began to be more laboured as Matt finished undoing her shirt. Gabby lifted her body so he could push it off her shoulders, leaving in in just her blue lace bra.

"God you're beautiful." It only resulted in her whole body blushing lightly. She helped pull his shirt over his head before they fell back again, their lips finding each other once again. As their movements quickened and clothes becoming a too big of a barrier, they were quick of geting each other out of them, Gabby pulling Matt's body higher up in the bed as they made out, the pillows suddenly in the way. Gabby tried to pull them out from under her but Matt's body pressing against her want for him was making it very hard on her. Matt suddenly stopped what he was doing and smiled down at Gabby.

"Having a little bit of trouble?"

"You are NOT helping." She panted, obviously out of breath from all the making out they were doing.

"I don't hear you complaining." He kissed her neck again and grabbed one of the pillows under Gabby, throwing it on the floor. "I told you pillows would be flying here too tonight." He took the second one and threw it on the ground, making Gabby laugh.

"How about we make some sparks fly?" She whispered huskily, a low growl escaping Matt's lips as he kissed her again and entered her, her body rising up to meet his as he did. Their bodies moved as one as they made love, a new found energy coursing through them as light sheets of sweat covered their bodies. They explored what excited the other, not being able to get enough of each other as they made love over and over again into the night, finally falling exhausted around one in the morning.

"The things you make me feel Gabriella Dawson." He tried catching his breath as she snuggled closer into him, her fingers drawing patterns on his chest.

"It's as if I feel things for the first time all over again." She closed her eyes as Matt ran his fingers through her hair, enjoying the feeling of stillness that was enveloping her.

"I love you." He pressed his lips to her forehead.

"Say it again." She whispered, her voice catching in her throat.

"I love you Gabriella Dawson." She looked up at him with a smile and they kissed one last time before they fell asleep, all snuggled up together.

A vibrating phone is what woke Gabby up first. "Who on earth is calling at this ungodly hour?" She complained as Matt pulled her closer to him.

"Let it ring babe." He settled his chin into the crook of her neck.

"It might be important." She reluctantly pulled awy from him to find out if it was hers or his that was ringing. When she found out it was his, she rolled back towards him and gave him his phone. "It's yours." She simply said as he saw Christie's name flashing on his screen.

"Hey Chris, is everything is ok?" Worry suddenly filled him as his mind took him to the worst place. **"Everything is fine but Grace wants to talk to you."**

"Hey baby girl, is something wrong?" **"I miss you daddy, when are you coming to pick us up?"** The girls were usually very independant and it didn't happen very often but sometimes, the girls would get home sick. "I'll come pick you in in two hours, is that ok?" **"Yeah it's ok. Em wants to talk to you."** Matt could hear the phone being transfered from one hand to the other and he waited patiently for Emma to start talking. **"Hey daddy. I miss you too."** "I know baby girl I'll be there to come pick you up in a couple of hours. How about we spend some time on the couch in front of the tv tonight with some pop corn and you girls pick the movie, that sound good?" **"Yes daddy. I love you."** " I love you too princess, and your sister. I'll see you soon, bye." **"Bye dad."**

Matt hung up up the phone and sighed. He hated when the girls felt that way.

"See, they miss their daddy. You're a great dad Matt, never forget that." Gabby sat up in bed as Matt propped himself up on his elbow. "Breakfast?" She looked back at him and smiled.

"I'm starving." He pulled a squealing Gabby back down to him and kissed her. They made out until air became an issue and reluctantly pulled away. Gabby gently swung her legs over the bed and got up, Matt's eyes following her as she moved around her room, getting dressed. He got up once she was done and changed into some new clothes, joining Gabby in the kitchen. She was frying up some eggs and he could already smell the bacon sizzling in the frying pan.

"Hey, I was thinking." He wrapped his arms around her waist from behind.

"Uh oh, that's never good." She chuckled, Matt's finger poking her, making her laugh.

"How about we invite your parents over at my place soon?" She took her eyes off the food for one second and looked at him with a surprised expression.

"You've already met my parents." Clearly she didn't want the last time to repeat itself because she felt Matt didn't need another interrogation.

"I haven't officially met them. I was thinking you could come over with the kids on a friday and they can play together while we have a nice grown up evening with your parents."

"Wasn't that interrogation enough?"

"Gabby, I love you and that means that I also have to get to know your family so they can get to know me too." She searched his eyes for any sign or hesitation and found none. "Think about it?"

"Ok."

"Ok?"

"Yeah, I'll check everyone's schedule and get back to you, is that ok?"

"Perfect. Are those eggs done because I'm starving." He smiled sheepishly as his stomach grumbled.

"Yes they are." Gabby chuckled. "Grab a seat." He helped her with the pile of dishes on the counter and set the table so she could fix the plates for them to eat.

They spent some more time talking about the kids while they ate and they cleared out all the dishes before Matt got all of his things together to leave.

"Have fun with the girls tonight." She leaned against her open front door.

"I will. Say hi to the kids for me." He kissed her gently.

"I will. I love you." It was all so new but already, she couldn't stop saying those words to him."

"I love you too." He kissed her one more time and walked down the stairs. She waited for the door downstairs to close before she closed hers so she could get ready to pick up her own kids.

* * *

 **a/n: Finally I'm on vacation (since saturday 3:30pm) and I can finally write a bit more. Hopefully when I get back from break, I can start finding a footing and updating regularily.**

 **So after Gabby got Matt to talk a little bit about what happened in the courtroom while he gave his testimony they finally got some adult time in and admitted their feelings for each other. I wanted Gabby to be the one to say it first because it meant she was ready for that step with Matt.**

 **Next up: Matt meets the Dawsons for the first, unambushed time.**

 **I hope you enjoyed this chapter and please take a few seconds to leave a review so I know if you guys liked it and HOPEFULLY, I'll post the next chapter before the end of the week - Sarra**


	35. Dinner with the Dawson's

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and the kids names.**

 **a/n: Thank you for all the love the last chapter has gotten and after sweet and fluffy comes a bit of serious. Matt has the Dawson's over for a first real evening with them but will it go smoothy or will it crash and burn? I hope you guys enjoy this next chapter.**

* * *

As promised, Gabby checked with her parents if they could come over for dinner at Matt's the following Friday and they had agreed, although a bit reluctantly on her father's part and she had confirmed with him as well. She walked through the firehouse on Wednesday to bring some lunch over for Matt since they hadn't seen much of each other in the last couple of days.

"Casey's lady love is here." Mouch said loudly as she walked through the common room door. "What brings you by Gabriella?" He leaned against the couch and looked at her, waiting for an answer.

"Came to bring Matt some lunch. He in his office?" She wondered, an answer from anyone would do.

"In his office." Shay hugged her as she came back from the bunk area. "By the way, we need to plan something, for real."

"I know. Just let me get through dinner at Matt's with my parents Friday night and then we'll get to planning something."

"Oh!" Herrmann exclaimed. "In-laws." He shivered, making everyone laugh.

"Matt thought it was a great idea." She chuckled and left the common room under sharp intakes of breath and damn's or shit's coming from everyone. Matt was hunched over yet another report and he looked tired. "Take a break?" She leaned against his office door and lifted the bag she had in her hands.

"Yes." He got up and kissed Gabby, taking the bag from her hands.

"Hard shift?" She wondered as she sat down on his cot.

"Haven't been sleeping very well." Lying would serve no one right now so he opted for the truth.

"Please tell me it's not about dinner on Friday?" She didn't let him talk before she continued. "Matt, we can cancel it, I'm sure my parents wouldn't mind."

"No, we're not cancelling dinner with your parents. I'll take something to help me sleep while the girls are at school tomorrow and I'll be ok for dinner on Friday."

"I knew this would be a bad idea." She huffed. Having dinner with her parents was making Matt nervous and giving him insomnia.

"It's not a bad idea Gabby. I'll be fine, I promise." She eyed him suspiciously, making sure he was telling her the truth.

"What are we having?"

"I thought I could make spaghetti with meatballs for the kids and seafood pasta for us, how does that sound?"

"Perfect. I have to run but be careful."

"I will, thank you for the lunch." They kissed and Gabby left so she could grab some lunch of her own before going back to the peds department.

 **Friday afternoon, Casey's house**

"Alright girls, I want you to go up for a nap."

"But dad, we're not tired." Grace spoke for both of them.

"Gabby is coming over around three with her kids and they'll be joining us for dinner along with Gabby's parents so I need you to be well rested and behaved. Now up to bed."

"Fine." They both grumbled, hugging their dad and going up to their room. Just as Matt had thought, fifteen minutes later, he went upstairs and the girls were sleeping soundly. He went back downstairs and tidied up a little bit before getting some pans out to start the spaghetti sauce for the kids so it would be ready. then he started getting all the sea food ready and to rest in water until Gabby arrived, Matt not wanting to have it ready too soon. Once he knew everything was ready, he pulled a beer out of his fridge and drank it slowly, hoping tonight would go well. He looked at the various pictures that were hanging with magnets on his fridge, a smile coming to his face. Not only were the girls on there but also several members of his extended family. One was of Severide with one girl on his back and the other one around his leg, all three smiling. An other one was of Shay and the girls making kissy faces, the next of his niece Violet with the girls, the cutest selfie he had ever seen and finally, one of himself with the girls, Christie and Violet as well as Shay and Severide, Boden having taken it at a CFD BBQ a couple of years back. Now, he was hoping to add one of Gabby and her brood or better yet, one of Gabby and himself, making the fridge picture collection complete.

He was taken out of his happy thoughts by the knocking on his door, then it opening and closing.

"Hey Matt, Severide told me you were having Gabby's parents over for dinner." Christie walked into the kitchen, keeping her voice down, knowing the girls were sleeping.

"Yeah. You must think I'm crazy right?" He placed his beer on his countertop and handed her a bottle of water.

"No. I think it's a natural step. I'm happy that you're finally happy and that Hallie is gone."

"I told her I loved her." He couldn't help but smile.

"That's wonderful Matt. I just stopped by to give you this for the girls." She handed two present bags to Matt.

"What's the occasion?"

"I wanted to buy them something for school when they started and didn't find what I was looking for until now."

"You didn't have to."

"I wanted to. It's a huge step for them." Another knock on the door made them look in the direction of the sound, Matt excusing himself to go answer the door.

"Hey baby. I didn't expect you so soon." He kissed her lips sweetly and took a sleepy Valentina from her arms, the boys coming in, already excited.

"Are Grace and Emma there?" They questionned, the house sounding too quiet.

"They haven't gotten up from their naps yet. You guys want to go wake them up?" They nodded, excited and bounded up the stairs under their mother's laughing gaze.

"They've been having trouble standing still all day. They barely napped." Gabby followed Matt into the living room as he put Valentina on the couch, placing pillows on the floor in case she fell.

"I had to force mine into bed." They walked into the kitchen where Gabby came face to face with a smiling Christie.

"Hi, I'm Christie. You must be Gabby. Matt has told me so many things about you."

"Good things I hope." She looked from Christie to Matt and back to Christie.

"Only the best. I'll let you two spend some time together, I was just dropping off some presents for the girls."

"It was nice to meet you Christie."

"Likewise."

"I'll walk you to the door." Matt kissed Gabby's cheek and walked Christie out.

"You liked to me Matt." She turned around to face him.

"I did not." He countered.

"You did. She's not beautiful, she's gorgeous. She looks like a keeper, don't let her go little brother."

"Thanks Chris." They smiled at each other and hugged before Christie turned and went down the stairs and back towards her house.

All four kids returned, sounding like a pack of hyenas, waking Valentina in the process. "How about your guys go play downstairs and we can fix a snack for Tina?"

"Ok." All four didn't need to be told twice before they went downstairs to play in their designated play area. Matt had long ago made it so downstairs and the girls had gotten used to playing down there so toys weren't littered on the main floor where people could get hurt on them.

"I wish they would listen like that more often." Gabby chuckled as she cut an apple up for Valentina.

"You, are a great mom. Mine don't always listen like that either. They are testing our limits. I'm pretty sure you gave your parents a run for their money." Gabby tried to stiffle a laugh but failed.

"I was a devil child, so stubborn all the time."

"I think I was ok but Christie could probably tell you good stories."

"Speaking of Christie, maybe we could arrange a dinner with her?" Gabby asked shyly. She had time to think in the past few days and it didn't seem fair that Matt got to officially meet her parents and she didn't get to meet the one person that was so important in his life besides his daughters.

"I think she'd like that. She's been asking about it too." Gabby handed Valentina the cut up apples in a bowl and she settled herself at the kitchen table, the little climbing up on a chair.

"Maybe something without kids maybe? I don't know." She walked back to Matt and settled in his embrace as they watched Valentina eat.

"Maybe we can check with her, see what she likes too. There's no pressure here."

"I know. What about you, did you sleep yesterday?" She faced him now.

"Yeah, the medicine helped. What time did your parents say they would come over?" Just that moment, the doorbell rang.

"That must be them." Gabby was about to go get it when Matt stopped her.

"Let me." He kissed her check and went to answer the door, Gabby going to sit with Valentina as she finished her snack. Matt opened the door and was face to face with Edouardo and Esmeralda. "Mr. Dawson." Matt extended his hand to Gabby's father which he shook as he motioned for them to enter. "Esmeralda, you look lovely tonight." He kissed her cheek and she patted his shoulder in return.

"Matthew."

"Abuela, Abuelo." The twins ran up the stairs screaming and practically pouncing on their grand parents.

"Whoa there boys." Matt stopped them both in their tracks. "Let them come in first. It's not polite to swarm people when they arrive somewhere." Both boys grumbled as part of them didn't like to be told what to do by Matt.

"Enough boys. Mr. Casey is right. Let us come in first." Mr. Dawson scolded the boys as Gabby arrived, holding Valentina's hand as she slowly walked next to her.

"Mom, dad." She smiled at them as they gave Matt their coats. She picked her daughter up and went to give her parents a hug and a kiss.

"You look tired honey." Her mother kept her in her embrace a little longer.

"I'm fine mom." Gabby protested as her mother took Valentina from her arms so she could hold her granddaughter. The boys were now free to attack their grand parents and they did just that. As soon as Valentina was on the ground, the boys hugged Esmeralda as she laughed, happy to see her grandkids. When they let go, they went straight to Edouardo and hugged him as well. Both Emma and Grace had shyly come up the stairs and were now standing close to Matt, not sure about the strangers that were in their house.

"And these two young ladies must me Emma and Grace." Esmeralda smiled at them, Matt making them at least come in front of him.

"I'm Emma."

"And I'm Grace." Their voice wasn't nearly as loud as they usually were but Matt knew that they'd end up opening up by the end of the evening.

"I'm Esmeralda, Gabby's mom and this is my husband Edouardo, Gabby's dad." Clearly she was used to kids as well and the girls smiled at her.

"Hi." They said together.

"Alright guys, why don't you go back downstairs while I get your dinner ready and I'll call you when it's done." All four oldest ones started giggling and took a smiling Valentina down into the basement with them to play."

"They seem to be getting along." Edouardo watched them bound down the stairs, Grace taking Valentina's hand and going slowly down the stairs with her.

"They do. And I think they get along in class as well. We haven't had bad comments from Miss Alice." They moved towards the kitchen.

"Yet." Gabby's mom wrapped her arm around her daughter's shoulder and they walked in sync together towards the kitchen.

"Can I get you anything? A beer, some wine?" Edouardo asked for a beer and Esmeralda a glass of red wine, something she had in common with Gabby. He poured two glasses of wine for the girls and grabbed two beers before grabbing a pot and filling it was water for the pasta, the sauce already in a pot on the stove. They made light conversation as dinner for the kids was prepared and after both Gabby and her mother set the table, Matt called them back up. All four kids were talking animately while Esmeralda insisted on feeding your granddaughter, Gabby supervising the four oldest ones, Matt and Edouardo in deep conversation.

"Gabby told me about what happened between you and your ex spouse." Matt had been staring at the kids at the table, Gabby helping out but that got his attention back to Edouardo.

"Yeah. I was scared of losing them." He sighed and took a swig of beer.

"The judge made the right call, they are happy here."

"Thank you sir, they're my world."

"Call me Edouardo."

"Did you ever think that you'd lose one of your kids ever?" He knew that Gabby and Antonio had a great childhood and he had doubts on occasion about his ability to be a dad.

"Every day after Gabriella turned about thirteen." He confessed. "She was so stubborn and independant, even as a child. In a sense, I had lost my little girl."

"Was it hard when she decided to leave the country?"

"It broke my heart but she was in love and Alberto gave her a wonderful life before he passed." Matt looked at his girls and wondered if they would ever choose that kind of path. And then he looked at Gabby. She was laughing at what the kids were telling her, she looked happy. Edouardo looked at him and decided to give him an extra piece of advice. "Matt." He called to grab his attention. "The best you can do is give them the best that you are and all the tools to succeed in life. The rest works itself out on its own." He patted Matt on the back and Matt thanked him before they went back to looking at their women in the kitchen with the kids.

Dinner was done for the kids and Matt helped clean everything with Gabby and they popped some popcorn and put a movie, all five kids with their eyes glued to the tv, leaving their parents to spend time with the other adults.

"You are doing a wonderful job with these girls Matthew." Gabby's mother complimented him as they walked back into the kitchen.

"Thank you. I try."

"Matt, why don't you show dad the house and the yard, he loves architecture. Matt remodelled the whole house when he bought it." Gabby hadn't missed her mom's subtle signal that she wanted to have a word alone with her daughter.

"I would love to have a tour." Edouardo said and both men disappeared outside to start.

"He's wonderful dear." When they were out of earshot.

"I was lucky." She tried to downplay it as she started on their own dinner.

Esmeralda kept an eye on her daughter as she cooked. "You love him don't you?" She suddenly said, Gabby stopping what she was doing.

"I do." She blushed. She had always been open with her mother but she always found a way to notice everything.

"I'm happy for you. You deserve a good man and he's great with the kids. How are they taking it?"

"They know that Matt is in my life and they are ok with him coming around more often but we haven't talked about the future with them."

"And have you told him?" She knew what she was asking and it brought a slight blush to her cheeks.

"Last week, and he said it back." She looked at her mother and smiled, knowing she would want to know if it was reciprocated.

"That's wonderful sweetie." She hugged her and kissed her cheek.à

"So you did all the work?" Matt and Edouardo came back through the kitchen door after being gone for about twenty minutes.

"Every room. I fell in love with this house and even before everything that happened, I saw it with a family.

"You did a great job son. I just might be looking at fixing the back yard soon."

"I'd be happy to help."

"Alright, dinner is almost ready. Can you set the table babe?"

"Sure." He kissed her cheek as he pulled everything out of the cupboards. "And just for the record, I was supposed to cook tonight, give you a break."

"That's fine, you can cook the next time." She winked at him. Once he was done setting the table, she served the seafood pasta and they all dat down, a new bottle of wine opened.

"How's everything at Lakeshore, do you still like it there?" Edouardo started to make conversation as they ate.

"I love it. It feels like a family in peds."

"I'm glad to see it hasn't changed." Esmeralda said between bites. "This is really good."

"Gabby gets all the credit." Matt placed his hand on her leg and squeezed it.

"I only cooked it, it's your recipe."

"Trust me, you make all my recipe's better." He chuckled making Gabby and her parents laugh too.

"And what about you Matt, how's 51?" Edouardo finally put his attention on Matt again.

"Dad!" Gabby exclaimed. She really didn't want this dinner to turn into an interrogation again.

"I'm only asking him how it's going at 51, I won't bite." He promised, Matt simply laughing it off.

"51 is great. We've had big shifts lately though but we do good so I don't mind missing out on some sleep."

"It must not be easy to raise two girls with 24 hour shifts, how do you do it?"

"Dad!" Gabby exclaimed again, she couldn't believe her dad was doing it again.

"I'm just trying to find out more about the man that is in love with my daughter." He said, Gabby almost chocking on her food.

"DAD!" She almost screamed this time, the blush coming back with a vengence.

"What? Do you think your mother is the only one who sees everything?" Gabby stayed quiet and Matt gave her leg a reassuring squeeze and they smiled at each other.

"My sister Christie is my life saver. She helps me in the mornings and when I'm on shift on the week ends. And like I said before, 51 is like family, they help out a lot too." It was all subjects he had been ambushed with the evening he had interrupted Gabby's dinner with her parents but this time it was different. Her dad was really interested and not trying to see if he was good for his daughter.

"The girls are very lucky then." Esmeralda added.

"I'm the lucky one." Matt smiled at her. Both Emma and Grace were his lights and he couldn't be more honoured to be their dad.

They kept the conversation light throughout dinner and when they were done, they realized that it had become increasingly quiet in the living room. Matt went to peak into the living room to find all five kids asleep, mostly on each other.

"Today tired them out." He walked back to the kitchen to help clean everything up before he would move the girls to their beds, cleaning them would wait in the morning.

"I think they had fun."

"They always have fun." Matt chuckled. Every time the kids would all get together, they would end up in bed early that night and tonight wasn't different. Once everything was cleaned out, coffee was made and poured and the adults had a nice conversation. Matt took a few minutes to move the girls from the couch to their beds before Gabby's parents left.

"I've had a wonderful evening Matthew." Esmeralda hugged his and Matt kissed her cheek.

"I'm glad you enjoyed yourself."

"You have a nice house and beautiful girls, you should be proud." Matt took the hand that Edouardo extended.

"Thank you sir, Edouardo." Matt had to remind himself to call Gabby's dad by his first name.

"And take care of this one." He motioned to Gabby who was in her mother's embrace.

"I will." Matt and Gabby exchanged a smile before her parents left, closing the door behind them, Gabby's back to it.

"The house didn't explode." Gabby chuckled as Matt pulled her by the waist.

"And I'm still alive." He kissed her tenderly.

"How do they even see all of that?" She leaned her forehead into his chest, referring to both her parents already knowing they were in love with other.

"Because they're your parents and they know you. But I meant it, I'll take care of you, always." He kissed the top of her head.

"I love you."

"I love you too baby." They shared a most passionate kiss this time. Matt helped her get the kids ready to leave and into her car and he watched her drive away before he walked back inside and turned off the lights, heading up to call an early night as well.

* * *

 **a/n: Alright so as promised, I'm posting before the end of the week. Both Gabby and Matt expected this evening to be like the first time when the four of them were in the same room but they were able to enjoy a fun grown up evening, Gabby's parents finding out a bit more about Matt and how the both of them already have those strong feelings for each other.**

 **Please take a few minutes to review and tell me what you guys thought. I'll see you guys on next Thursday for a brand new update - Sarra**


	36. Class Mayhem

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and the kids names.**

 **a/n: Alright so as promised, here is a new chapter on my day off (well three if you count my two other updates). I want to thank everyone who reviewed last chapter and I'd also like to welcome all the new readers on board and I hope you like what you're seeing so far. so this story is called Family Chaos and it wouldn't be fair to have it without it so here's a little chapter on chaos in a classroom, I hope you like it.**

* * *

The days after having the Dawsons over, things had gotten back to the way they were in the Casey household. Matt returned on shift with the rest of 51 and the girls were at school, then going to Christie's for dinner and bed, she would bring them to school the following morning. The shift started pretty quiet but it quickly became heavy with calls and barely any time to catch their breaths. After coming back from a call at an elementary school, some people dropping their bodies on a couch or a chair and others heading for the shower. Matt splashed from water on his face, clearny having no time for a shower since he had to get that report done. He hated having paperwork pile up so he took a habit of doing it as soon as they got back from a call. Only after it was written up and handed back to Boden that he headed back to his office for his things and a well deserved shower. He barely got the time to sit down in his chair at the head of the table that he phone rang. He looked at it and scrunched his eyebrows as he saw it was the school calling.

"This is Matt Casey." **I am sorry to bother you at work Mr Casey but it seems that the girls have gotten into a scuffle in class. I know that it's not ideal since you are on shift but we would need you to come down as soon as you can so we can straighten this all out.** "Just left me clear it with my chief and I'll be on my way." He hung up and hung his head. It was the first time that Matt had gotten anything remotely negative about the girls since starting kindergarten and it had to be something big as a first offence. He got up and ignored everyone's glances and headed into the back and into chief's office.

"What can I do for you Casey?"

"Do you think that Herrmann can be acting lieutenant?"

"What's going on?" Matt closed the door behind him so they could have this conversation in private. It's not that he didn't want the rest of the house to know because they would eventually but he wanted to get to the bottom of this first before talking about it with everybody else.

"The girls got into a fight at school."

"Is everything ok?"

"I have no idea. They want me to come down and straighten everything out, it shouldn't take long."

"That's fine, just keep your radio on."

"Thank you chief." Matt walked out of chief's office and headed straight for his truck. He wanted to resolve this quickly before having to finish shift and really deal with it at home.

* * *

Gabby's day had started messy. She woke up later than what she was used to and struggled to wake all three kids, specially the twins who were unwilling to participate. She finally managed to get them ready and fed and to school and daycare without too much tardiness and drove quickly to work without getting into trouble on the roads. She huffed as she made it to the peds department, she hated being late.

"Sorry I'm late girls." She sat at her work station and started looking over her patient files.

"How many times do I have to tell you Gabby to just call me when you're running late?"

"I know Nat but I HATE being late and the boys just didn't want to cooperate this morning." She scribbled down some notes on post-it's to make it easier for her to remember her patients conditions and particular diets without having to go though all the paperwork.

"So how did the dinner with your parents go?" Jenny inquired next to her. She had told them everything about what led up to that dinner and how she was afraid that it would turn out into one big interrogation.

"It was actually good. The kids all had fun together and my dad didn't chew Matt's head off so it was good." She smiled at them.

"What about the L word? That come out?" Lindsay laughed, making Gabby blush.

"He didn't!" Nathalie exclaimed from where she was perched atop the nurse's station.

"Actually, I said it first." Everyone clapped and laughed just as Gabby's phone started vibrating on the desk, the school's number flashing on her screen. "What now? This is Gabby Dawson." **I'm sorry to bother you miss Dawson but Filippe and Luis got into a little fight and I was wondering if you could come so we could straighten everything out.** "I'm at work right now. Just let me make arrangements to free myself and I'll be there as soon as I can." She hung up her phone and placed it roughly back on the desk, all three nurses looking at her. "You've got to be kidding me." She growled.

"What's going on Gabby?" Nat was the head nurse so she needed to know about it.

"The boys got into a fight at school and they want me to come straighten it out." She huffed. "Would it be ok if I skipped lunch hour later and take that hour now to go take care of this?"

"Just get out of here and fix it, I'll hold down the fort for you."

"Have I told you recently that you are the best boss EVER?" She grinned.

"Stop sucking up and get out of here." Nat chuckled.

"Thanks, I'll owe you one big time." She got up and headed back to the locker room to grab her purse and headed out to go see what had happened. She thanked god that the school was close to the hospital and she parked it and walked inside, almost bumping into someone as she approached the principal's office.

"Matt, what are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be on shift?" She questionned as he steadied her.

"Got a phonecall. Something about the girls getting into a fight. What are you doing here?" Realisation settled into her as he said those words.

"The same thing. This day could not get any worst."

"It'll be ok, let's just go see what happened." They just weren't prepared from what they saw in front of them. All four kids were sitting next to each other with Miss Alice between them and two other boys on the other side of her.

"What happened?" Matt questioned his daughters just as the principals office door opened.

"Are Mr Casey and Miss Dawson arrived yet?" The scretary looking at miss Alice, clearly not seeing both Matt and Gabby standing there.

"We're here." Gabby made her presence known and the woman smiled at them.

"Mrs Peterson will see you now and I'll stay with all six kids." The secretary announced, Miss Alice geting up from her seat and followed the couple in. They all took a seat in front of the principal's desk and all hoped that it wasn't as bad as their minds were thinking.

"First of all, I'm sorry I had to pull the two of you from your work but I felt we needed to talk about this."

"It's alright, I just want to know what happened so it won't happen again." Matt turned down his radio that was emitting a call that wasn't for him.

"Well I'm sorry to tell you that it might happen again and there's not much we can do about it except keep talking with the kids." She continued.

"What happened exactly?" Gabby asked the question both she and Matt had on their minds.

"Well we were doing an activity where the kids were playing with block to teach them to be organized and work on their concentration skills and the next thing I know, Nathan is telling Grace about not having a mommy so I went and intervened because he wasn't being nice. But one thing led to another and Luis came to Grace's defence only to have James tell him that his father wasn't even around either and it just escalated." She looked down at the floor, clearly not comfortable telling this story. "I'm really sorry." She looked up at both parents, red claiming her cheeks out of embarrassment.

"It's ok." Gabby smiled at her. "The kids love you and you're doing a great job with them."

"Thank you miss Dawson."

"Call me Gabby." They both smiled at each other.

"I know that it's not an easy situation and we talk a lot to the kids about how different they are and the twins have gotten very close to each other and I'm happy that they have each other's back but what they did wasn't ok." Matt said. He understood completely what was happening here because he had been in their shoes when he was younger after his father was shot but they needed to deal with this.

"What you maybe don't know is that Matt and I are seeing each other and I know it's a difficult situation." Gabby added to the conversation. "We'll have a good long discussion with all four of them." She promised.

"Alright. We will also keep an eye on our end to make sure it won't happen again. Alice, do you mind going to get th two sets of twins please?" Alice smiled at the principal and went to get the kids.

Both sets went to their respective parent and settled into their sides, the principal having the final say. "I know it's not easy and your friends are not always nice about it but I don't tolerate fighting in the classrooms." She started, all four kids nodding, giving the principal their full attention because they knew they were in trouble. "When someone says not so nice things to you, I want you to go talk to Miss Alice about it and she will take care of it, so I make myself clear?"

"Yes ma'am." all four kids said it together, knowing what respect for their elders meant.

"Alright so I'll let you four get back to class and thank you for coming." She stood up and shook both Matt and Gabby's hand.

"Thank you for letting us know, we'll have a good talk withthem about it too." Matt promised and took the kids and turned to leave, the secretary returning.

"Nathan and James's parents just arrived." She informed the principal.

"You can make them come in please." The parents crossed paths as Miss Alice took all four kids back to class while the last two were being talked to in the principal's office.

Matt and Gabby walked hand in hand towards the exit when they were forced to seperate to go back to their respective cars. "Matt, we need to sit down with the kids and talk to them about this, about us, where we stand."

"I know baby and we will. This is a new situation for all of us so it will take a few adjustments but we'll work it out like we always do." He smiled at her and leaned down to kiss her.

"Alright. Now get back to work and stay safe."

"I will. I'll talk to you later, I love you."

"I love you too." They kissed one last time before they parted and went back to work.

This was a new situation for all parties involved and if they wanted to have it work, they needed to bring the kids on it and that was a discussion that would come soon enough.

* * *

 **a/n: Alright so we all know that kids are mean and I know it's not an easy situation to be in to have a parent not present(for whatever reason) but kids don't always understand that and I wanted the kids to have this little fight with other classmates because ultimately, it will for Matt and Gabby to talk with their kids about their own relationship and what that will mean to all seven of them.**

 **I really hope you liked it and please take a few minutes to review and tell me what you thought about it. - Sarra**


	37. Conversations pt 5

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing escept for my imagination and all three kids names.

 **a/n:** WOW 500 reviews. Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who left a review on the previous chapter and welcome to the new followers, I hope you like it so far. Last chapter, we saw a little bit how kids can be mean and now Matt and Gabby finally have a little chat with their brood about it all. Hope you like it

* * *

Matt and Gabby had been extremely busy in the weeks following the kids argument in school. The girls birthday was coming up and now that they were in school and had friends, Matt had to plan something bigger this year. They knew they had a lot of talking to do about it and also where they were heading as a couple and they'd have to sit down and think about it but time was fleeting and they couldn't find any to do so.

"Dad, I can't find my blue shoes." Grace yelled from the front door.

"Take another pair Gracie." They were late for school because Matt's alarm hadn't gone off and he was pissed off at his carelessness, setting it in the evening instead of the morning. Once they got ready and into the truck, Matt drove off towards the school only to find someone else that had been late this morning. "Hey Gabby." He startled her.

"Matt. Late too huh?" She helped the boys out of her car and into their backpacks, Valentina staying inside the car.

"Yeah, alarm problems." He helped the girls in their bags and let them walk though the door. Since starting school, they insisted that they could do it alone and he hadn't gotten any negative feedback since. "Heading into work?"

"I'm off today, how about you?" Matt simply smiled, Gabby knew what that meant. "Up for some breakfast?"

"Sure, meet me at my place after you drop Valentina at daycare?"

"Yeah." They kissed quickly before Gabby went back into her car to drop her daughter off. Matt cleaned a few things he had left behind in their hurry to get to school as he waited for Gabby to get there. He didn't have much to make fresh but there were some leftovers from the previous night that hadn't been cooked yet that they could use for lunch at least. Gabby knocked a few minutes later, a smile on both their faces as their eyes met.

"I missed you." He pulled her to him, leaning down for a kiss as Gabby closed the door shut with her foot.

"I missed you too." She exhaled as they pulled away from each other.

"That's good then, we have the whole day to ourselves." He smiled.

"How about I cook breakfast?"

"Let's just see if you can do it with my hands all over you." He teased as he kissed her again. She had become his own personal kind of drug and he had missed her more than he dared to say in the past week.

"Watch and learn." She giggled, pulling away from his embrace and heading into the kitchen with a seductive sway to her hips.

"You're on." He smiled and followed her. He was glued to her as she pulled some stuff out of his cupboard, sometimes having to stop what she was doing because he was having so much effect on her. "What were you saying about watching and learning?" He whispered as she spilled some more flour on his counter.

"I lied." She was already breathing hard and he hadn't laid a finger on her, simply hovering around her as she moved around his kitchen. She really couldn't concentrate on the recipe that had completely gone from her mind as he finally laid hands on her to turn her around to face him, his lips pressing to hers hard, pulling her to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck as he lifted her up, her legs coming to wrap around his waist, breakfast being the farthest thing from their minds.

They took it to his bedroom, Matt gently laying her down on top of the covers, his body pressing into hers, his want for her evident. Gabby pushed her head back as Matt's lips attacked her neck, her hands bunching up his shirt at the shoulders, his name slipping from her lips. They separated for only a few seconds, Matt pulling his shirt over his head, discarding it on the ground next to the bed, his lips finding Gabby's once again. Their kiss was hungry and filled with lust, both having missed the other's touch in the past days. Gabby's fingers pressed hard into Matt's shoulder as he pressed into her hips, pushing down on her, a low growl muffled in his throat.

He trailed feather light kissed against her still clothes body and lifted her top ever so slightly to run his tongue along her stomach and biting down on her hips, Gabby whimpering as he did. He kissed his way back up as he removed her shirt, revealing a purple coton bra. His lips found hers again as his right hand gently ran along her side, needing to have her exposed to him. He popped her button easily and started sliding her jeans down, kissing his way to the inside of her thigh, her body needing to be with him. He revealed a pair of matching panties and threw the pants somewhere on the ground, not really caring where.

"Matt." She whimpered, his hands just barely grazing her skin, driving her mad.

"Let me take care of you." Gabby arched her back as Matt kissed his way up, his hand reaching behind her back to unhook her bra the only thing seperating them from each other were her panties and his pants, pants that she was quick to flip them around to get off of him. Her movements were more erratic though as she started to kiss him with more hunger, tired of the foreplay. She kissed her way down his chizzled chest and removed her pants along with his boxers in one motion as she stared into his darker blue eyes.

He flipped them around to remove the very last thing seperating them and was done with the teasing as well, slipping into her, both moaning at the intimate body contact. They moved as one for many very long minutes, both wanting the other as if it was the very first time. Gabby moved her leg up against his side, giving him more access to her center, his movements going harder and faster.

Gabby was the first to blissfully tumble over the edge, Matt's name escaping from her lips as he fell from it as well, Matt's nose nuzzled in her neck, their breathing erratic and their hearts pumping hard. Matt moved slightly so his body weight wasn't all on Gabby but she made so that he did, enjoying the feeling of his heart beating a mile a minute over hers. When they caught their breath, Matt rolled from over her and pulled her to him.

"So much for breakfast." She pressed her nose to his chest.

"Who needs breakfast?" He laughed, kissing her hair.

"We might need lunch though."

"I think I can keep my hands off you long enough to cook lunch for us."

"Matt."

"Yeah?"

"We need to talk with the kids about what happened at school and about us. We can't keep dancing around it." Matt pulled her closer to him and his mind kept going to what he had been thinking about all week long.

"I know but I want to talk about us first." He pulled away from her and took something out of his night stand, Gabby sitting up to try to see what it was. She held the sheets to her body, bringing her knees to her chest, waiting for what Matt had to show her. "I know that we've been moving sort of fast but I think this should be the next step." He released a single key from a CFD keychain and looked at her, gabby's breath suddely stuck in her throat. She moved her hand to take the key before pulling it back again.

"I." She started but couldn't keep talking for long seconds, Matt waiting patiently for her reply. "I can't move in with you." She finally found the words, her body slightly pulling away from Matt's. "What will the kids say? We haven't even talked to them about us. How can you ask me to move in with you?"

"I don't want you to move in with me." He felt Gabby recoil a bit more and felt the need to make it right. "I mean I do want you to move in with me but it's too soon. I just thought that you could have a spare key, come and go as you please with the kids. Say you'll think about it?" He asked hopefully, turning around and placing the key where it was first hidden, giving his full attention back to Gabby.

"Just, can we talk to the kids first about us and then see where that leads us?"

"Anything you want baby." They stayed in bed, cuddled up until it was time for lunch, Gabby wearing one of Matt's t-shirts to go back down in the kitchen, Matt following, wearing his pants but still shirtless. He cooked what was left from last night and they enjoyed it on the couch, Gabby's legs on Matt's lap, trying to figure out how they'd talk to the kids about moving forward and the proper way to behave when kids said mean things to them.

They got ready to go get the kids, deciding to have dinner at Matt's place so they could talk to their whole brood. Once the kids were picked up, they went to the store to grab a couple of chickens and some frecnh fries, not wanting to burden themselves with a heavy dinner so they would talk with the kids. They agreed that Valentina wouldn't really understand but it was important for them that the four other ones did. They did some family talk over dinner, trying to find out from them how school had been today and if the incident had repeated itself in class, even if it was minor.

"Everybody was nice today. Nathan and James even came to say sorry to us." Grace told the truth, the three other saying how it was true.

"Ok but we need to talk about it ok?" Gabby said with a smile. She knew it wouldn't be an easy conversation but they had to have it with them. "Your friends don't know how hard it is for you and they don't understand what happened to daddy but you do have a daddy and he loved you guys very much, I don't want you to ever forget that ok?" Matt was rubbing slow circles on her back, knowing how hard it must be for her to be talking to the kids about Alberto.

"And you know what girls, your mommy loved you a lot but then she became sick and she couldn't take care of you."

"That's right and that's why you get to stay with daddy and he loves you very much." Gabby smiled at both Grace and Emma, the girls smiling back at her. Both were satisfied about the way both sets of twins understood what they were talking about but now they had to tell them about them as a couple.

"And you know, your daddy would want your mommy to be hapy." Matt started, only to have Gabby finish.

"And Matt makes me happy, and I make him happy." She winked at him and smiled, his brighter smile confirming what she just said.

"Does that mean that we'll have to call him dad?" Filippe didn't quite understand this part though.

"Never." Matt ruffled his hair. "Matt is fine but the four of you will have to listen to the both of us though, you guys comfortable with that?" Matt wanted to make sure no was stepping on anyone's toes. "And same goes to you two ladies." He wasn't giving his daughters the option though. He knew that they loved Gabby already and now that they were serious together, what she said was also valid for them.

"Yes daddy." They said.

"And what about you guys?" Gabby asked her son.

"Yes mom, we'll listen to Matt too." Both adults were happy about how it turned out and they sent the kids play in the living room while they cleaned out the table and did the dishes, Matt leaning against the counter, a clear eye sight into the living room while he dried the dishes.

"See, it wasn't that hard was it?"

"I was so scared they wouldn't understand." She looked into the living room before going back to the dishes.

"Our kids are intelligent." He kissed her temple. "Say you'll think about what we talked earlier?" He asked as she handed him the last plate.

"I will."

"Alright, let's get these kids in bed." He set his dish towel down and wrapped an arm around Gabby's shoulder, both heading to where the kids were to get them ready to go home, washed and in bed for tomorrow's school day.

* * *

 **a/n:** Through their hectic schedule, Matt and Gabby finally spend some quality time together but they also have a very important talk with their kids about mean kids and life and them moving on together but will Gabby accept Matt's offer of a key or will part of her be afraid of what that means?

I hope you guys liked this chapter and please take a few minutes to review so I know what you guys thought of it. - Sarra


	38. The Key

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except my imagination and all five kids names.

 **a/n:** First of all I want to apologize for the lack of updates on this story and apart from the holidays, I don't have a real reason for slacking off. Second, I hope all of you guys had a nice Christmas filled with fun and Thanks for all the reviews on the previous chapter, it warm,s my heart as always so enjoy this next one.

* * *

Gabby spent the next few days with only one thing on her mind: The key to Matt's house. It kept her awake at night and her mind occupied during the day and she didn't know what to do about it. Both Filippe and Luis had noticed how tired she was and would sometimes have to snap her from her thoughts by talking louder to her. And at work wasn't any better. Nathalie needed to find new ways to gain the mom of three's attention during her shift.

Matt on his side, wasn't faring any better. He was sitting at his desk in his small office in 51 but it trying to stay focused on the incident report that was staring at him in the face but it was no use. All he could think about was the fact that he had offered a key to Gabby and he still hadn't heard anything from her. He looked at the pictures that were standing in front of him and smiled. On top of the one he had of his family, a new one was sitting there. Shay had taken a picture of him and Gabby at Molly's, her head on his shoulder and a smile on her face, a matching one on his own face.

"I love that picture." Shay's voice pulled him out of his thoughts.

"Thanks for taking it."

"I can smell cute Dawsey moments." She laughed, making Matt laugh as well.

"Dawsey?" Matt wondered.

"Yeah. Dawson, Casey, Dawsey."

"Nice looking out." He chuckled.

"Where's your head at?"

"I might have tried giving Gabby something and I haven't heard from her yet." He ran his hand against his face and sighed.

"You proposed?" Shay's voice was high pitched and was now accompagnied by Severide's

"You did what?" Kelly had only heard Shay right when he walked past Casey's office.

"I didn't propose. I wanted to give her a kew and I think I scared her."

"Matt." Shay said, clearly not thinking that was a good idea.

"I didn't ask her to move in Shay, just that she could come and go as she pleased."

"That's the same thing Matt."

"Oh come on Shay, the guy's in love and getting laid, give him a break will ya." Shay laughed at Kelly while Matt did the only thing he could to defend himself, throw a paper ball by Kelly's head, making him laugh even more.

"Ha ha. You can laugh all you want mister I don't want to commit." Kelly threw the paper ball back at Matt. "I know it's soon and I really didn't want to scare her but it felt like the right thing to do. Or I don't know, was it?" He looked at his two best friends, wondering if it really had been a good idea.

"She loves you too. It's a great idea I think." Kelly had seen the two together and it was obvious the two were in love with each other.

"Thanks Kelly." He smiled at him. He was glad his best friend was on his side.

"Alright, let's leave the man at least try to work." Shay smirked as she pulled Kelly from the small office, leaving Matt with his thoughts once more.

* * *

Gabby was doing her usual rounds to check on her sick little patients when a perky blonde came bouncing in the ward.

"Is Gabby Dawson out for lunch?" Gabby could hear Shay at the front desk from where she was standing and she giggled to herself. She walked back to the front desk where Shay was leaning against it, chatting up another nurse.

"She already has a girl Shay." Shay jumped at the sound of Gabby's voice but instantly jumped in her arms.

"Girl, we need to do something." They pulled away from each other.

"I know. I've been busy."

"I've heard." Shay smirked, knowing what had happened with Matt and Gabby. Gabby turned a bright shade of red, knowing exactly what Shay was referring to.

"Did you give that a bit more thought?" Shay questionned as Gabby took her place back behind the desk, not giving Shay an answer. Shay looked at her with a questionning glance, wondering what was on her friend's mind.

"All I've been doing is thinking about it." Gabby finally looked up at Shay, tears glimmering in her eyes.

"Aww honey. Have you talked to Matt about it?" Shay knew that Matt was equally scared, even if he wasn't ready to admit it to anyone and it broke her heart to see her friends struggle like that. They had both lost someone dear in different ways and now they were struggling to move forward in the relationship.

"I can't."She wiped her tears away with her thumb, the hospital not the right place for them. "I don't know what I'm doing Shay. Do you mind coming over later? I could really use a friend right now." The hospital was also not the place to have a deep conversation either.

"I'm getting off shift at eight, I'll swing by after."

"Thanks Shay."

"Anytime." Shay smiled as her radio crackled to life. "I'll catch you later Dawson."

"Later." Shay left quickly the pedeatric floor as Gabby went back to her paperwork.

Both girls had a sluggish shift, giving Gabby some more time to sort her thoughts out. On Matt's side, his thoughts were just as jumbled, the fear that they were maybe moving too fast eating away at him.

"Have you heard anything from Gabby?" Matt stoped Shay in the hallway knowing that Shay often stopped by the pediatric floor to see Gabby when they brought a victim into Lakeshore.

"I stopped by earlier, why?" Matt suspected that Shay knew more than she was letting on.

"How is she?"

"In the same state you're in. I'm going to her place after shift."

"Should I stop by to see her?"

"Matt, don't push her." Shay pleaded with him. The last thing Gabby needed was more pressure.

"I know Shay." He looked down at his feet. His heart was pumping fast from nervousness.

"I'm going to see her after shift if that helps."

"I'm glad she has you Shay. Tell her I miss her please?"

"Sure." Matt left Shay in the hallway to look at him walk away, her heart breaking a little bit more for him.

* * *

Eight came by quickly and Shay sat in the locker room, sitting on a bench and she was tying her boots when Matt walked by her and smiled before heading out. She kept looking at the door when Severide pulled her out of her thoughts.

"He's miserable."

"I know." She sighed. "And so is Gabby."

"You're going over there right?"

"Yeah. I'll see what I can do." She knew what he was thinking about.

"I'll stop by his place tonight."

"Ok. I'll talk to you back at home."

"Yeah." Kelly left Shay to finish getting dressed and headed towards Gabby's place. She made a quick stop for a little pick me up before going up her stairs and ringing the doorbell, hoping she'd be in a slightly better mood than earlier at the hospital.

"Hey. Thanks for coming Shay." Gabby ushered her in, closing the door behind her.

"Where are the kids?" The house was entirely too quiet.

"I asked my mom to keep them for the night. I'm going absolutely crazy Shay." Shay eyed the already opened bottle of wine sitting on Gabby's counter, her glass half full.

"I can see that." Shay chuckled, pointing at the already half empty bottle, Gabby giving her the eye. "I'm sorry sweetie." She laughed again, not being able to help herself as she pulled Gabby into a tight hug.

"I've been thinking about it all day. I don't know what to do Shay?" She pulled a wine glass out of the cupboard and poured one for Shay before they went to sit on the couch.

"What's scaring you Gabby?" She pulled her legs under herself.

"I don't know Shay. Maybe we're going too fast? What about the kids? How do I even explain what a key means to the kids?"

"One thing at a time Gabs. The first question you want to answer is do you want to say yes to Matt about having a key?" Gabby looked intently at her glass of wine, obviously wrestling with that question. She looked up when there was a knock on the door. "Are you expecting anyone?" Gabby's face told her that she wasn't but she looked at her get up without answering, making her way to the door and looking through the peep hole before opening it.

"Mom? What are you doing here?"

"You sounded strange on the phone. I just came to make sure you were ok."

"I'm ok mom." She let her inside.

"Leslie, it's nice to see you again." They both smiled at each other as Gabby closed the door behind her mother.

"Mrs Dawson. It's been a while."

"Call me Esmeralda." She insisted, following Gabby back to the couch, refusing the glass of wine Gabby was offering her. "What's bothering you honey?" She asked concerned. She didn't often see her daughter like that but she knew she was struggling with something.

Gabby was looking for the right words to tell her mom about Matt wanting her to have a key to his place. "Matt wants me to have a key to his house. He says so I can come and go as I please. I don't know what to do mom." Tears were once again pooling in her eyes with that uncertainty about what to do.

"Oh Honey! Are you afraid things are going too fast?"

"I'm afraid about a lot of things mom. I can't just think about myself. What about the kids? How do I even explain this to them?"

"Are you thinking of saying yes? you need to answer that question first."

"That's what I was telling her." Shay said from her spot on the couch, taking a sip of her wine.

"And you know, the boys will understand. If you're happy, they will be too."

"You're a great mom Gabby and I know your kids are everything to you but you have to trust yourself."

"We're all there behind you Gabby. You can lean on all of us whenever you need us. We're all proud of the way you're handling everything." Esmeralda pulled her daughter in for a hug, Gabby letting her mother's arms comfort her.

"Thanks mom."

"Have you talked to Matt about it since he asked you?" She whispered to her.

"No." She pulled away from her mother's embrace.

"I think you should follow your heart and go see him." Esmeralda smiled and winked at her daughter.

"What if he changed his mind?"

"Trust me honey, he hasn't changed his mind." Shay smiled as Gabby looked at her. "Just kick us out and go see him."

"We can take care of the kids for you until lunch tomorrow."

"Thanks mom."

"I'll get going then." Shy put her half empty glass of wine on the living room table. "Call me later, or don't" She smirked Gabby's way, making Gabby blush slightly.

"Thanks again Shay. Rain check on our date."

"I'm holding you to it." She grabbed her coat and left, leaving Gabby with her mother.

* * *

Kelly grabbed a twelve pack of beer at the store closest to Matt's house and headed his way. He knew he was struggling after offering Gabby a key to his place and from the lack of news from her part so he figured he'd go and try to keep his mind off it with some beer and a hockey game on tv. He knocked on his door after getting out of his car, waiting for him to answer. When he did, he offered him his best smile and raised the pack of beer but Matt already had one in his hand.

"What are you going here Kelly?" Clearly he wasn't expecting him to come by tonight. The girls were at Christie's for the night since he had come off shift late so he was all alone with his thoughts and some beer, the hockey game on tv obviously doing nothing to disract him.

"Thought I'd come keep you and your thoughts company." He didn't wait for Matt to let him in before stepping over the threshold. Kelly stopped in the living room to see the damage. There was food boxes here and there and a few beer bottles. "What the hell Matt?" He hadn't seen his best friend in this state since Hallie had left him and all he hoped was that Gabby would just say something, anything to help fix this.

"Started early." He was referring to the drinking.

"Well looks like I need to kick some sense into you instead." He put the beer on the back porch to keep it out of his reach for now.

"I don't need a lecture Severide."

"Well maybe you do. This girl is driving you crazy."

"Don't you think I know that? I haven't heard from her since I told her about the key. What if I scared her off? What if she says no? She's the best thing that happened to me since the girls were born Kelly."

"I know that but try to think from her perspective. She has three kids that are her whole world and she has to think about them in all of this. I'm pretty sure that if it was just her, she'd have said yes the night you wanted to give it to her."

"I don't know Kelly." Matt nervously ran a hand through his hair.

"I'm pretty sure Shay is talking to her about it as we speak. She's been a mess too." Kelly didn't have to have seen Gabby to know that it was probably affecting her in a similar way as it was affecting Matt.

"What is she says no?"

"You have to stop thinking like that Matt. Just give her a little more time." Both of them turned towards the front door when the doorbell rang.

"Are you waiting for anyone?"

"No. I didn't even know that you'd swing by."

"Go open the door then." Matt put his beer on the living room table and walked to the front door.

"Gabby?" She was the last person that Matt was expecting at his doorstep.

"I'm sorry. I should have called before coming."

"No. No, it's fine. I'm glad you came." Matt's smile was instantanious. Gabby saw Kelly in the background.

"I'm sorry, you have company. Call me later?" SHe didn't want to interrupt but Kelly knew this was their chance to talk.

"I was just leaving." Kelly already had his coat on and was walking towards them and the door. "Call me later, or not." He smirked, patting Matt on the back and giving Gabby a kiss on the cheek. "I'll catch you guys later." Kelly left them alone, knowing they had a lot to talk about. Gabby came in and Matt closed the door behind her, taking her coat.

"I'm sorry I haven't called you since that night."

"You don't need to stop apologizing Gabs."

"It's just I've been a mess since then and I know that it's not really an excuse for not calling you and I had to think a lot about what you said." She was clearly rambling and Matt gave her a small smile. He thought she looked cute rambling and he gently took her face in her hands

"I was so afraid that I scared you off by giving you a key that I've been going out of my mind since that night."

"I was terrified but with Shay and my mom."

"Is that a?" He didn't dare finish that thought, afraid that he'd be disapointed if she said no.

"Yes." She smiled. Matt's smile became wider and he leaned down to press his lips to hers in a tender kiss.

"Really? I'm not dreaming this?"

"You're not." She laughed. Her laugh was the most amazing sound he had heard all day and he pulled her to him and kissed her again.

"I missed you." He whispered.

"Tell me about it." She leaned up and kissed him again but he lifted her up and made his way up the stairs and to his bedroom. They made love slowly and tenderly, enjoying what they had missed.

They stayed in bed, cuddled up a while longer, enjoying the quiet between them. Gabby was laying flat on her stomach, her arms under the pillow, sheets pooled at her waist.

"Something on your mind?" Matt whispered, tracing lazy circles on her mocha skin.

"How crazy I've been to not give you an answer sooner."

"Don't think like that. I've been wondering if I hadn't pushed you into something too soon so let's just enjoy some quiet time together. We have no kids around, just the two of us."

"I like how you think." She propped herself on her elbows and kissed him before leaning over him and pulling his night stand drawer open to take the key she knew was still there. "Did you really mean it?" She looked at him with a small smile on her lips.

"Since the day I told you about it." He pushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

"You know what that means right?"

"What does it mean Gabrielle Dawson?" He chuckled.

"You can't hide anything from me anymore." She giggled.

"I'm all yours." He pulled her to him and kissed her, the key falling to the floor, the room soon filling with both laughter and love, the both finally ready to take an extra step forward in their relationship.

* * *

 **a/n:** So after going completely crazy on each side without talking to each other, both Matt and Gabby come to their senses with a little help from their friends and family, Gabby says yes to the key Matt had wanted to give her. I hope you guys liked this chapter and please take a few secvonds to leave a review before you go so I can know what you guys thought of it.

So this is the final moments of 2015 (or the first hours of 2016 for everyone who is around the globe) I hope you party hard and I wish you all an amazing 2016 filled with, love, health, laughter and a bunch of new chapters in the new year. Love- Sarra xxxx


	39. In the eye of the storm pt 1

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and the kids names.**

 **a/n: Thank you to everyone who reviewed my last chapter and welcome to the new readers and followers. I'm sorry this chapter has taken so much time to write but life has a terrible way of ringing in 2016 and it hasn't been easy for me to sit down and actually get sme writing done. Enjoy.**

* * *

Matt and Gabby have been living in a state of bliss since Gabby accepted the key to his house. She would surprise him on Friday's when he finished at eight, picking up the girls from school and getting all the kids to do their homework and getting them to eat dinner, putting them in some pj's and in front of a movie before getting dinner ready for them on the stove at low until he made it home and showered, giving them some alone time.

The kids had been weirded out the first time it had happened, not used to someone else having access to the house before.

 _"Gabby?" Grace had questionned her as soon as they had stepped foot through the door._

 _"Yeah sweetie?" The girls knew what they needed to do while Gabby undressed the boys and Valentina._

 _"How come you have a key to come into the house?" Gabby had been taken aback a little bit, expecting Matt to have already had the talk with the girls._

 _"Well daddy gave it to me."_

 _"Does that mean you're going to be living with us?" Emma questionned next._

 _"No. It means that I can help daddy a little bit when he's on shift with you guys so you don't always have to go at your aunt Christie's house for the night."_

 _"Can we have a slumber party then mom?" Filippe asked._

 _"Please mom." Luis gave Gabby his best pouty face, the girls teaming up with them._

 _"I don't see why not but you all have to listen to me are we understood?"_

 _"YES!" They all screamed making Gabby laugh and a slumber party they had._

The front door opened and closed and Gabby smiled at herself in the kitchen. She had seen all five kids asleep in the living room a few minutes before.

"Smells great in here babe." Matt placed his hands on Gabby's hip, dropping a few open mouth kisses on her neck.

"Thanks. How was shift?"

"Crazy. It was one call after another. I'm glad to be home."

"I'm just glad you're back safely." She turned around in his arms and wrapped her arms around her neck, leaning up on her toes to kiss him.

"You know I'm always careful out there. How was it with the girls?"

"It's always great Matt, stop worrying about it." She smiled.

"You know I always worry, it's five kids to deal with."

"And I worry every time you get on that truck."

"I promise I'll always do everything in my power to come back to you and the kids after a shift." Gabby closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

"I'll hold you up to that." She leaned up on her tip toes and pressed her lips to his, giving him another pec. "Dinner will be ready as soon as you're out of the shower.

"I'll hurry then." He kissed her again before heading upstairs for a hot shower and a change of clothes. He came back down dressed in clean jeans and a t-shirt while Gabby was already putting everything on the table.

"Hey, hey, let me help you."

"Just sit down, you've had a long day."

"And so have you." He countered.

"Nah, it was a quiet day." She handed him a beer as he sat down.

"Good then. You staying the night?"

"What? You got a hot date with someone else?" She teased him.

"Stick around and I'll show you hot." He got up and gave her a crushing kiss, taking her breath away.

"I can't wait." She whispered. They ate with light conversation and did the dishes together before turning in. The kids were all sleeping in a pile of pillows and blankets in the living room. She stopped at the very bottom of the stairs and looks behind her towards the living room where the kids were, Matt placing his hands on her hips. "I could get used to this." She smiled.

"So could I." Gabby looked back up towards the stairs and they went up, Matt kissing her neck as they went and a hot night they had as promised.

* * *

Gabby and Matt spent the week end together with the kids, watching movies and playing games, enjoying some family time before they both had to go back on shift the following Monday. The following weeks were mostly the same with them spending as much time together as possible.

Matt was on shift once morning, sitting at his desk, staring at the new pictures he had framed up. On top of the one with his daughters and the one with Gabby, he had added one of all five kids laughing and another one of all seven of them on an outing at the city fair.

"You win the lottery on that one." Matt looked up to find Severide leaning against the door frame of his office with asmile of his own.

"I know. She's amazing and she's so good with the girls. I don't even know I got that lucky." He smiled back at him.

"Well you deserved to be happy and it's you're time so just enjoy it." They were interrupted by the overhead paging system. They looked up, listening to the kind of call they would have

 **Truck 81, Squad 3, engine 51, Ambulance 61, Battallion chief 25, traffic incident downtown.**

Matt stood up and both Lieutenants made their way to their respective vehicles. The drive across the bridge was quick and from the smoke that was coming on the left, firehouse 51 parked and all hands were on deck. 61 checked on people with minor injuries while the guys from Truck and Squad prepared for the rescue of a bus full of people, Boden calling for medic back-up to assist the girls. Straight ladders were set against the side of the bus while Squad worked on opening the side door. Herrmann, Cruz, Severide and Casey went inside the bus to rescue the passengers, Otis and Mouch on the receiving end of the first victims that were capable of getting out of the bus by themselves.

"What's the status on the door?" Boden asked Squad that were clearly having trouble with it.

"Still working on it chief." Capp grunted.

Casey and Severide were the last ones inside the bus, smoke thickening as they worked on victims that were more banged up from the crash.

"Casey, we got to get out of here soon, the smoke is too thick."

"I know Sev." He kept working on the victim he was with. The woman was pretty banged up, a gash to her forehead that was pretty deep. He pressed on the wound to stop the bleeding but it was bleeding pretty heavily and he needed to hurry up to get her to the paramedics for some treatment.

"Come on Casey, we have to get out of here." Severide insisted as he lifted the victim he was with to the window to hand him over to Cruz that was waiting on the other side, the front door of the bus still nowhere to be opened, the guys from Squad having given up on that.

Severide waited at the bottom of the ladder, waiting for Casey to bring his victim over to him so they could pack up and get the hell out of there but a blast propelled him on his back, a cloud of black smoke coming out of the bus. Severide grunted as he tried to get up from the ground, something pinning his leg.

"Help." He yelled, Capp and Tony coming to help him remove what was blocking his leg. "Where's Casey?" He looked around, not seeing him anywhere.

"Casey, report." Boden called into his radio, getting no answer. "Casey, report." He called again, only getting static this time.

* * *

 **a/n: Oops, I did it again! But I'm not really sorry about it hihi. I decided to write this as a two part because otherwise it would have been too long. I really hope that you enjoyed it and hopefully I'll be able to write the second part soon. Don't forget, please take a few minutes to review before you go, I always love to read your thoughts. - Sarra**


	40. In the eye of the storm pt2

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and the kids names.**

 **a/n: Thank you to everyone who reviewed last chapter and I'm happy my cliffhanger made most of you all crazy hihi. Alright so I managed to write this second half rather quickly so you guys didn't have to wait too long to see the conclusion of what happened to Casey on that bus so I hope you enjoy it.**

* * *

"Casey, _report." Casey heard through his radio. "Casey, report." He heard the call again but something was preventing him from answering his chief._

Matt woke up groggily to plain white walls and a constant beeping. He felt a weight on his left side and he managed to catch a glimpse of Gabby sleeping against his arm. He tried to move it to make her know he was awake but somehow it didn't seem to want to make the action.

"Gabby?" He didn't even recognize the sound of his own voice it was so hoarse. She seemed in a deep slumber, not moving an inch so he called her again, this time, a slight twitch coming from her. She looked up at him through hooded eyes and tears instantly welled up in her brown orbs.

"Matt?" She wondered if she had been dreaming because she prayed that he'd wake up for the past three days and nothing had happened until now.

"Hey." He smiled before his lungs constricted, needing more air. He coughed and Gabby immediately got up from the chair she had been sleeping in to get him some water.

"Don't talk Matt, take it easy. She put the glass back down and smiled at him. "I'll go get the nurse." She rushed out of his room and nearly collided with Kelly.

"Is something wrong?" He held her at arms length and looked her from top to bottom.

"He's awake." She smiled as she moved out of his grasp to get a nurse, Kelly walking into Matt's room.

"Welcome back buddy." They smiled at each other and Matt went into another coughing fit, Kelly giving some water again.

"Welcome back Mr. Casey." The nurse walked in with a smile, Gabby waiting patiently by the door for her to take his vitals and make sure the IV's were all dripping properly. "You gave us quite a scare."

"What happened?" He swallowed hard.

"I don't know. We were hoping you'd be able to tell us when you woke up."

"All I remember is hearing Boden's voice over the radio." He admitted, some parts of their last save jumbled up in his mind.

"Take your time, no one is in any hurry." The nurse looked at Kelly with a firm look telling him not to push for anything.

"How are the girls?" He tried sitting up, sudden worry for them.

"They are fine. They're at your house with Christie."

"What about you? You should be with your kids." His voice was slowly returning.

"They're with Christie too. You need to rest." She insisted, sitting next to him in the chair she had been awkwardly sleeping in for the past three days.

"Christie is taking care of all five kids? And Violet?"

"It's fine Matt." She pulled his hand in hers and rubbed his knuckles.

"Alright. Mr Casey needs his rest. Just one person at the time for now." Kelly knew Gabby would stay as she had for the past three days, refusing food and barely agreed to go shower in the nurse's lounge.

"I'll go call chief Boden with an update."

"Go back to shift Kelly." Matt noticed he has his turn out pants on him.

"I got my radio on, don't sweat it." He smiled at Matt and left the room to make his phone call.

"Maybe I should check on the girls." Gabby pressed a hand to his chest, making him lie back down but Matt didn't protest because his body was still weak.

"The girls are fine and so is Christie. Cindy Herrmann has been coming to help out too."

"But." She knew why he wanted to protest, Herrmann having five kids of his own to take care of.

"No buts Matt. Everything is worked out and everyone is glad to be helping." She sat on the side of his bed and kissed his temple. "They'll just be glad you're ok."

"You look like you haven't slept in a few days." He ran his IV free hand against her leg.

"I'm fine Matt. You need to focus on getting better."

"And I need to remind you to take care of yourself." He knew Gabby enough to know that she made sure everyone else was good before even contemplating thinking about herself.

"And I am." She insisted, chuckling. "Well Shay is reminding me mostly."

 _"Gabby, you need to go home and get some real rest." Shay said from her spot at the entrance of Matt's hospital room._

 _"I can get some real rest when Matt wakes up."_

 _"And he'll be mad that you didn't take care of yourself and I didn't force you into it."_

 _"I'm fine Shay really."_

 _"Come on Gabs, you're a mess. At least let me get you some shower supplies and some fresh clothes from home so your boy thinks you're hot when he lays eyes on you for the first time when he wakes up." She laughed._

 _"Fine." Gabby sighed. There was no use arguing with Leslie Shay. "Thanks." They smiled at each other before Shay left._

"She was nagging me every day."

"I'll have to thank her then."

"Thank me for what?" Shay walked in the room, her radio attached to her and soft crackling coming from it

"For taking care of Gabby for me."

"Anytime. How are you feeling?"

"Like I got hit by a truck." He coughed.

"Are you in pain? Maybe I can ask the nurse for some pain meds. You should be good to get another dose."

"A little bit." He admitted.

"I'll be back." Gabby got up and left the room, leaving Casey and Shay alone.

"What happened in there Casey?" She took the spot that Gabby had just vacated.

"I don't know Shay. All I remember is Boden's voice calling into the radio and the sound of my pass alarm sounding in my ears."

"Maybe you just need some time. Your body is still healing from the blast." Matt suddenly felt a familiar ringing in his ears, closing his eyes and willing it to go away. "Matt, are you ok?" She pushed a strand of hair that was now sticking against his forehead.

"Yeah I'm fine." He blinked a few times and swallowed. "Can I have some water please?" Shay filled up the glass and gave it to him so he could water down his parched throat.

"Don't say anything about this to Gabby please."

"Matt. She's worried about you."

"I know and I don't want her to worry more than she already is. Promise me you'll keep quiet."

"Fine." She growled, not liking this one bit. "I promise."

Gabby came back into the room with a nurse and some pain meds that she pushed into the IV access, everyone just waiting for them to take effect.

"Can you promise me something?" He asked Gabby as his eyes were starting to be heavy with sleep.

"Sure, name it."

"I want you to go back home and get some real sleep."

"I can't promise that Matt." She wanted to stay with him, scared that something might go wrong while she was away.

"Baby, please. I'm fine and I'll just sleep." He breathed in and out a few times, his eyes drooping heavily.

"I'll make sure she goes home and gets some rest."

"Shay." She looked at her with angry eyes just wishing she was on her side for once.

"What? Matt's right. He's all hopped up on pain meds and he'll just sleep. Maybe you should take that opportunity to go update everyone at the house, shower and sleep a bit."

Gabby looked between both Shay and Matt before she sighed deeply. "Fine."

"I love you." Matt whispered.

"I love you too." They shared a tender kiss before Matt fell asleep and Shay took a reluctant Gabby with her for a shower and a little rest.

* * *

Matt was sound asleep in his hospital bed with the help of the strong meds he had been given before Gabby left, a deep pain in his right flank just moments before. They had been waiting for the doc to show up before to at least give him a little bit info on what had happened to him in the blast, his mind clearly having trouble piecing everything together.

 _Severide and I were the last ones inside the bus, smoke thickening as we worked on victims that were more banged up from the crash._

 _"Casey, we got to get out of here soon, the smoke is too thick."_

 _"I know Sev." I kept working on the victim that I was with. The woman was pretty banged up, a gash to her forehead that was pretty deep. I pressed on the wound to stop the bleeding but it was bleeding pretty heavily and I needed to hurry up to get her to the paramedics for some treatment._

 _"Come on Casey, we have to get out of here." Severide insisted as he lifted the victim he was with to the window to hand him over to Cruz that was waiting on the other side, the front door of the bus still nowhere to be opened, the guys from Squad having clearly given up on that._

 _I removed the fire protection equipment around my neck and applied it to the woman's head wound to stop the bleeding that clearly didn't want to. Visibility was starting to be close to nothing as the smoke thickened some more. I knew I had to move quickly but If I couldn't at least stop some of the bleeding, this woman didn't stand a chance._

 _"Ma'am. Stay with me, it's going to be ok." I managed to lift her body from the ground, a strong smell of gas and a loud explosion propelled both our bodies against one of the seats, pieces flying, my pass alarm starting to ring in my ears a few long seconds later, excruciating pain in my right flank and leg before everything went black._

Matt woke up with a start as memories of the crash came back to him. Hands were pushing him back down onto the bed, his wild moving from left to right in a panic.

"Hey, baby it's ok." Gabby's eyes connected with Matt's as he imitated her breathing motions to help calm him down. "Breathe in then breathe out." She instructed as he did what she told him.

"I remember what happened."

"Alright. I'll go ask for the doctor ok."

Matt nodded and kept breathing slowly to calm down. The doctor came by a few minutes later.

"I'm glad you're awake." He proceeded in doing some neurological tests to make sure that his head was intact and after checking everything, he wrote in his prescription to remove all the IV's and allow him to eat what his body felt comfortable eating and checking on both his leg and flank wound, giving the go ahead also to try making a few steps, all of that that would help him get his walking papers in a few days.

"Thanks doc." Matt stretched a little bit, his face scrunching up in pain.

"I think you should take it easy for a while Lieutenant. I don't think you want to stay here longer than necessary.

"I'll keep an eye on him, thanks Dr Welling."

"Anytime Gabby." They smiled at each other and he was out the door.

"So Gabby huh?" He smirked.

"Oh get your brain out of the gutter. I worked with him in the ER and he's the one who operated on you when you were brought in." Her eyes became misty again.

"Hey, hey. I'm ok, I'm safe."

"I know but I was so scared Matt."

 _I usually ate lunch with the girls from the peds unit before making my way down to the ER to see if I couldn't catch a glimpse of Matt or Shay on the way in with victims but the ER was unusually quiet for a Monday. Gabby started chatting at the front desk with the nurses there when the team started scrambling to get to an incoming patient._

 _"Firefighter, early thirties, right leg crushed under a city bus seat and an unknown piece of white metal in his right flank. He lost a lot of blood." Gabby's eyes connected with Shay's and she just knew._

 _"Matt, baby." She ran to him and held onto his hand but it was unresponsive, an oxygen mask also covering his mouth and nose. "Matt?" She called again, tears falling down her cheeks and her body struggling for some air. She followed the gurney until she couldn't anymore, a nurse stopping her in her tracks._

 _"I'm sorry Gabby, you can't go in there. I'll keep you updated as soon as I know anything." Shay had her arms wrapped around her shoulder, keeping her from falling to the ground."_

"I didn't know what was going on or what was going to happen to you. I was a total mess." The tears finally fell down her cheeks, Matt wiping them with the pad of both of his thumbs.

"I'm fine, I promise. Come here." He pulled her to his and they laid down together, enjoying some quiet time and Gabby closing her eyes as the thumping of Matt's heart lulled her to sleep once more.

* * *

 **a/n: Wheww. I finally made it. Two hours and this second part is done. I hope you guys liked how it ended. Now I decided to write Matt's dream sequence in the first person because it wasn't just meant to be a flashback so we could have a better understanding of what had happened on that bus.**

 **Next up: Matt goes back home and has a nice dinner with his sister and niece along with Gabby and her kids.**

 **I hope you guys liked this chapter and please take a few minutes to leave a review before you go because I love reading what you guys thought of it. - Sarra**


	41. Home

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and the kids names.**

 **a/n: Thank you to everyone who left a review on the previous chapter. I wanted to get this chapter out sooner but it's been a rough few weeks and it hasn't been easy to concentrate on writing so i'm not quite sure about this chapter but I hope that you guys like it.**

* * *

Emma and Grace visited Matt a few times while he was in the hospital but today he was going home and it was just him and Gabby.

"Are you sure you're ok to leave?" She gave him a hand with his shirt, the movement of raising his arms pulling on his tender side.

"The doctor gave me the all clear to go home and take it easy for a couple of days."

"Alright. Let's get you home to the girls then." She gave him a smile that he returned. He had missed them a lot, not used to being away from them due to injury.

"I like that idea." He was forced into a wheelchair by an orderly under some protesting before she helped him to his truck. He had insisted that he was ok to drive so she had humoured him and taken his truck. They made the drive home in silence, their hands linked together at the middle console. "I can't wait to be home." He looked at her with a smile before turning to face the road again.

* * *

Christie and Gabby had gotten the kids in bed early the nigth before Matt was scheduled to be released from the hospital so they could wake up early and get the house ready for Matt's return. Gabby had left around eight while everyone else was busy finishing up the welcome home sign. Christie was busy blowing up some balloons and hanging them randomly in the living room with Violet's help, everyone laughing loudly occasionally when balloons would burst even though Valentina cried out a few times in surprise.

Gabby had sent a text Christie's way when they were heading home to make sure everything was ready.

"Grace and Emma, you guys need to hurry up because daddy's on his way home." The girls scrambled to finish the colouring on the last letter so the banner could be hung over the fireplace mantle and Christie heard keys jingle into the front door just as they put the last piece of tape. "Alright, everyone ready?" She asked as she took Valentina om her arms so the little girl wouldn't spoil the surprise, everyone else giggling loudly to get into place.

Violet had a difficult time in containing both sets of twins from laughing too loudly and Matt and Gabby got to the living room just in time.

"Welcome home daddy." The girls yelled louder than everyone else and rushed towards their father, both of them wrapping their arms around his middle, happy to have their dad back home, not caring about the pain that could be seen on his face.

"I missed you."

"We missed you too."

"Welcome home Matt." The boys were next to hug him but this time with less force.

"Thanks. You've been good for your mom?"

"Very nice. And with Christie too." Luis looked over at Matt's siste and smiled at her.

"I think he has a crush on your sister." Gabby whispered to Matt's ear as he stood up.

"She's pretty isn't she?" He looked at Luis and smiled at him, making the boy blush. "I always thought she was pretty too."

"Stop it Matt." Christie laughed it off.

"Thanks for helping Gabby out with the kids this week." They hugged.

"I'm just glad you're ok."

"I'm fine Chris." He assured her.

"And besides, I learned so many interresting things about you Mr. Casey." Gabby laughed, Matt groaning.

"Come on Chris."

"What? She asked, I answered that's all." She laughed too, the kids already scatting around the living room.

"Who wants some pancakes for lunch?" Matt yelled, changing the subject under a thunder of yes's being roared and the girls laughing it off.

"Alright let's just let daddy take a shower and relax a little bit and then we can start thinking about lunch." The truth was that lunch wasn't for another two hours but it would give Matt just enough time to take a reeal shower and for Gabby to change his dressings before he would take care of lunch.

Gabby grabbed some plastic food wrapper and some tape before helping Matt up the stairs, Christie taking care of settling the kids in the basement with some toys.

"Matt, stop trying to do it by yourself." Gabby stopped his movement up with his shirt becase he was clearly having trouble with it.

"Gabs, I have to be able to do it by myself." He insisted.

"I know and you will be please give it a few days before doing it by yourself."

"Fine." She helped him stip to his boxers so she could put the wrapper around him so he could shower without getting the dressing wet.

Gabby waited for him to return on his bed with some fresh supplies to change his dressing. He had taken an extra kong shower, knowing how he had hated the hospital ones and when he came out, his body was dripping wet and he looked hot.

"I wished you didn't walk around looking so hot like that." She could feel her body ignite with passion but she knew they couldn't do anything.

"You know what would be hot?" He asked her with a smirk on his face, finishing to wipe down his torso so Gabby could change his dressing.

"What?" She blushed.

"You in a hot nurse costume." He leaned down to kiss her, feeling frisky himself.

"Stop it Matt." She exhaled deeply, trying to ignore the growling fire in her belly. He pushed her against his bed, his lips crashing against hers.

"Matt, your sister and the kids are downstairs." Her heart was beating faster unde Matt's body. "And I need to change the dressing on your side."

"Fine." He kissed her again before he pulled away from her, sitting down so she would be able to work her magic.

They returned downstairs to a quiet main floor, whispering coming from the kitchen. Matt moved closer to the voice and even though he wasn't eavesdropping, he wondered why his sister was even whispering in the first place. She jumped as she heard sound behing her.

"I have to go." She said into the phone and hung up.

"I'll pretend like I didn't catch my sister whispering in a phone like a teenager." He laughed.

Christie chose to ignore the comment, a blush creeping on her cheeks nonetheless. "How are you feeling now that you've cleaned up?" She changed the subject, Matt going along with it.

"Much better and she changed the dressing so yeah, I feel like a changed man." He laughed it off.

"I'm happy to hear that." She smiled back at him

"I know the girls are happy to see me but how did they take the news when you told them I was hurt."

 _Once Gabby had gotten an update concerning Matt's condition, she knew someone needed to take care of getting the girls from kindergarten and staying with them and the only person she could think of in that moment was his sister Christie but she didn't have her information and she wondered if anyone else had her phone number so she could call her. The rest of 51 had filed in while Matt was in surgery and took seats in the ER's waiting room until they had gotten the news that Matt was out of the woods_ _._

 _Gabby looked for Kelly and Shay, figuring they'd be more likely to know Christie's number since they were the girls godparents and Severide was the first she saw as she looked up. He was pacing like a madman, filled with worry while Shay kept nagging him to sit down because he was driving her crazy. She made her way towards him and he immediately locked eyes with her, stopping his pacing in the process._

 _"Is everything ok Gabby?"_

 _"Do you have Christie's phone number by any chance?"_

 _"Yeah why?" He said without thinking, Shay giving him a weird look._

 _"Well the girls are in school and they have no idea what happened and someone needs to pick them up from school later and tell them what happened and I don't want them hearing about it from someone else."_

 _"Here." He showed her the number so she could punch it in and she dissapeared around the corner to call Matt's sister._

* * *

 _Christie was sitting at her desk in the teacher's lounge, grading some last minute papers when her cell started ringing. The number flashing across the screen was unknown to her but decided to answer it anyways._

 _"Hello?" **Hi Christie, it's Gabby.** "Hey, how are you doing?" She hadn't heard the scared tone in her voice. **"It's Matt, he's in the hospital."** Christie scrambled to get her keys and purse, leaving everything where it was. "Don't move Gabby, I'm finding someone to sub for me and I'll be right there." **Christie, someone needs to go pick the girls up from school and tell them about it.** "Ok. Tell me he's ok at least." **He's out of surgery and he's stable but I don't have anymore details.** "Alright. Please keep me updated if you have anything new." **I will. Sorry to tell you this over the phone.** She could tell that Gabby was probably as scared as she was but she needed to go get the girls. "Look out for my brother and I'll call you when I have the girls."_

 _Christie hung up and took a few minutes to pack away the papers she was grading before she went straight for the principals office to tell her what had happened. She had said that she'd take care of grading the rest of the papers as well as her afternoon classes so she could concentrate on picking Grace and Emma from school and telling them what had happened to their father._

 _She drove to their school and went straight to the principal's office to explain the situation, the secretary bringing her to the class where the twins were. She knocked on the door and asked to see the girls in the hallway but as soon as the girls eyes connected with Christie's they knew something was wrrong._

 _"Is daddy ok?" Grace questionned as Emma's eyes had already started to water._

 _"Daddy is ok but he had an accident at work and he's in the hospital."_

 _"Is daddy going to die?" Emma's lips were quivering, both girls hands holding onto each other._

 _"No sweetie." She pulled them both into a hug. "He had surgery and he's going to be ok now."_

 _"Can we go see him?"_

 _"Of course sweetie." The secretary told their teacher that they wouldn't be finishing the day and Christie got them both ready so they could go to the hospital to check on Matt._

"I'm sorry I had to put you in the impossible situation." He tried to stay safe on the job and away from injuries but it wasn't always an easy task.

"We're family Matt, that's how it's supposed to be. And this one right here, she was at your side every minute of every day."

"I know." He smiled down at Gabby who now had an arm wrapped around his good side. "I never thought I'd love someone again and yet, I don't know what I would do without her."

"I love you too." They smiled at each other, Christie watching them with a smile of her own.

"And what about you Chris? When are you going to find prince charming?" He didn't miss her blush before he pulled away from Gabby to get the ingredients out to make the pancakes.

"I have to think about Violet Matt. And besides, I'm not sure I'm ready to get into a serious relationship after what Jim did to us." The earlier playfulness in her tone was gone now and Matt could hear the vulnerability in voice.

"I just want you to be happy Chris."

"I'm just not quite ready yet Matt."

"Mmhhmm." He smirked, getting their lunch pancakes ready, Gabby smaking him against his shoulder.

"We should set the table." She laughed as she reached into the cupboards to get enough of everything.

The kids came running up the stairs, Valentina taking the rear and they started running around in the kitchen.

"Alright. You guys need to stop running before you break something." Gabby said sternly, all four oldest kids finding a chair to sit down, Christie helping Valentina up in her high chair.

"Come on sweet girl, Matt makes the BEST pancakes." She tickled her sides, making the little girl laugh.

"Everyone to chow." He called, bringing a plate filled with small pancakes for the kids, Gabby bringing the plate for the grown ups.

Violet helped her mother and uncle get the kids settled with their food and they enjoyed lunch all together. They weren't all family by blood but for anyone looking from the outside in, that's exactly what they would say they were.

* * *

 **A/n: So I was finally able to finish writing this chapter and we finally managed to see how the girls took to their father having an accident on the job. I know it's not an epic chapter but please take a few minutes and leave a review cuz feedback always helps to write and I love reading what you guys thought of it. - Sarra**


	42. The nurse

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and the kids names.**

 **a/n: Thank you for the reviews on the last chapter. I want to apologize for the delay in updating this story but a lot of things have been going on in my life and at work that I've barely had the time to focus on writing. I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

* * *

Matt had been home for a few days now and had even started some physical therapy to regain some flexibility to his side and Christie had been helping him a lot with the girls since Gabby was back on shift as well. He had been happy that Gabby had spent the day with them when he came back from the hospital and he missed having all that action in the house when her and the kids were gone but they needed to take it one step at a time and they had been going fast enough already after only a few short months. He parked his truck in the driveway and noticed Gabby's car was parked right in front of his house, making him wonder what she could possibly doing at his place during lunch time on a shift day. As he opened his door, he could hear her sing and he followed her voice all the way into the kitchen.

"What are doing here? I thought you were on shift." He kissed her and she smiled.

"I am but I figured that you could use a real home cooked meal." She turned back to what she was doing and he chuckled. Truth was he was doing the simplest of foods since cooking pulled at his sides.

"You got me. It smells great though. are you joining me?"

"I can't stay, I'm due back in twenty minutes but I will be back after work. My mom is going to come over to take care of the kids for a little bit.

"And the twins are at Christie's" He wrapped his arms arouns her waist from behind. "I wouldn't mind having a little bit of alone time with my girl." He kissed her neck.

"I'll never tire myself of hearing you say those words." She sighed, looking at her watch. "I have to go." She turned in his arms. "I left some cheese and sour cream in the fridge so I hope you like it."

"I always love what you make. Have a good end of shift." He kissed her gently.

"Don't hurt yourself while I'm gone." She pulled away from his grip. "I love you."

"I love you too." He loosened his hold on her to let her get back to work and he found himself all alone in the house once again so he enjoyed the chili Gabby had prepared and then went up for a nap because although he would never admit it, the therapy sessions were draining all his energy.

* * *

Christie was finishing up dinner preparations before she went to pick Grace and Emma from school. The girls quicky got ready to leave so they could get back home in time for Violet's school bus to drop her off around the curb. The girls had some drawing homework to get done and Violet helped them out while she reheated the food for dinner. She watched all three girls in the living room from where she stood leaning against the kitchen counter and she smiled. She was so happy that she and Matt had reconnected five years ago so she could stand here and witness her daughter and nieces like that.

"That smile looks good on you." She jumped slightly as he places his hands on her hips and kissed her neck.

"You scared me." She turned around in his arms and smiled back at him.

"Sorry about that." He kissed her tenderly.

"The girls are in the living room, you shouldn't be here." She looked around to make sure they were alone. His grin was contageous and it made her smile.

"They didn't see me, I promise." She looked around again before she leaned up and kissed him again. This time they didn't hear the little feet tha came into the kitchen.

"Look auntie Christie what we made for school." All three girls stopped in their tracks as both adults abruptly stopped what they were doing, looking back at them with a surprised look on their faces, stepping away from each other.

"Mom?" Violet knew she was seeing someone but wasn't expecting this to be who.

"Why are you kissing uncle Kelly?" Emma finally broke the short silence.

"Well." Christie started and looked back at Kelly for confirmation. "Uncle Kelly is the boy I've been seeing." Kelly chuckled as she explained to his goddaughters the relationship they had together. "Are you guys ok with that?" Christie had noticed that Violet had disappeared and she gave Kelly a brief look before looking back at the girls to see them nod and smile.

"Alright, how about you ladies do a nice drawing for me so I can put it in my locker at the firehouse?"

"Ok." They smiled and went back to the living room table where all theird drawing supplies were.

"I'll be right back." She looked at Kelly and disappeared up the stairs. He looked at her go and figured he'd leave mother and daughter some time alone before going up there to talk to Violet as well.

Christie waited a few seconds outside of her daughter's closed room door before she softly knocked a few times.

"Can I come in?" She gently pushed the door opened to find Violet on her bed with headphones on her head. When their eyes met, Violet removed the headphones.

"Why didn't you tell me?" It wasn't an accusation but they usually talked about things and her mother hadn't told her anything.

"We wanted to tell you but then uncle Matt got hurt and it was more important to help him take care of Emma and Grace. We didn't want you to find out like this." Violet looked behind her mother to Kelly who was standing in the doorframe with his hands in his pockets.

"I'm sorry you had to find out like this." Kelly meant it. Christie had struggled so much with the idea of telling her daughter that they were dating and when was the right time to do it. Violet was staying quiet so he took a few steps into her room. "I care about your mother a lot and she loves you more than anything and I want you to be ok with me seeing her."

"I just wished you would have told me before."

"I'm sorry sweetie. I promise I won't hide anything from you anymore."

"Alright." Mother and daughter smiled at each other before Christie pulled Violet into a hug, Kelly looking at them with a smiled before we went back down to check up on the girls before the girls came back down about ten minutes later where Kelly was already getting the table set where they would all have dinner together.

* * *

Gabby quickly left the hospital after her shift was over and made her way towards Matt's house. Matt was all smiles when he found her on the other side of his door, her hair in a messy ponytail and a duffle bag on her shoulder.

"Long shift?" He kissed her as she made it inside.

"Crazy actually. They sent me to the ER when I came back from lunch."

"Can they actually do that?"

"The ER was overflowing and it was quiet upstairs so they needed some extra hands."

"That's just how good you are." He pulled her to him and they shared a kiss.

"You know what would make me better? A shower."

"Let me give you a hand." He smirked, making Gabby giggle as they made their way up the stairs and into the bathroom where Matt was nice enough to help her out of her clothes, leaving her in her bra and panties. "It's been a while since we've had this place to ourselves." He bent down and kissed her neck, making her breathing laboured.

"What are you going to do about it?" He trailed her neck and peppered her shoulder with kisses.

"I'll show you." He lifted her up to the counter but winced, holding his sides.

"Matt, are you ok?" She slid down the counter and tried to get his hand away so she could look at it.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He huffed, pain written on his face.

"You're not fine. I'm going to shower and then I'm going to take a real good look at it."

"Yes ma'am." He kissed her cheek and left the bathroom, Gabby making sure he went to lie down on the bed. She quickly showered and changed. This wasn't the best way for it to happen but the situation was presenting itself nicely so she got ready to put her plan in motion. She put the first aid kit on Matt's nightstand and looked over him. He was lying down horizontally on the bed with his eyes closed, taking slow breaths.

"Hi, my name is Gabby and I'll be taking care of you today." She said in a seductive voice, a smile tracing itself on Matt's lips.

Matt opened his eyes and propped himself on his elbows, his eyes roaming Gabby's body. She had a matching purple lacy number under a very short nurse costume, her moka skin inticing him. "I'm all yours."

Gabby put the first aid kit on the bed and looked at Matt's side, a few droplets of blood escaping the scar he had on his side but she cleaned it up and put a dressing on it to make sure it didn't infect itself before she put the kit away and straddled him. Gabby ran her fingers along his torso muscles as his hands were firmly sitting on her hips. She leaned her body down and started kissing his jaw, behind his ear and down his neck, his hands trailing up her sides.

"Gabby." He exhaled as she continued her attack on his body with her lips.

"Just relax and enjoy it." She kissed her way up and captured his lips with hers, a moan swallowed as their tongues battled for control. Matt took a vulnerable moment from Gabby to flip her around to pin her under him.

"You look even hotter than what I imagined in my mind." He looked down at her as she blushed, making him smile. He slid the zipper at the front of Gabby's costume, reavealing the purple matching bra and panties, Matt licking his lips with want as the blush went farther down her neck. He looked her over before he dipped his head and attacked her neck with his lips, her body raising to meet his as he kissed down her chest and over her bra before Gabby inhaled sharply as his lips made their way down her stomach and his teeth sinking in her side, shivers running through Gabby's body as he did.

"No teasing." Gabby begged, Matt running his fingers under her panties.

"No teasing I promise." He pulled away from her slightly and removed his pants as well as his boxers, intent on enjoying Gabby for as long as he could. He gently moved her panties aside and entered her, a low moan escaping her lips. He slowly moved in and out of her, kissing her neck as he continued his steady movement, simply enjoying the sounds he was elliciting from her. She managed to expertly flip him over while his movements slowled and they kept making love, Matt pushing the nurse costume off her shoulders, barely anything seperating them anymore.

They stayed tangled in the sheets for hours, their bodies tangled together as they made love until they collapsed together, both covered in a thin sheet of sweat, their chests heaving from their daytime activities.

Matt and Gabby laid in bed together for a while, his arm around her shoulder and her head against his chest, her fingers tracing imaginary circles against his abs.

"Everything ok in there?" It was as if he could almost see the wheels turning in her head.

"Nothing, just enjoying this, wishing we could get to do this more often, laying together like this."

"You do know what we could do about that."

"I want to, I do, but not now, not yet."

"I'll wait as much as you need me to." He kissed her forehead and placed his cheek on the top of her head and they stayed like that a little bit longer before they had to change into some more respectable clothes, Christie coming to drop off the girls in an hour. They ate something fast and Gabby got ready to leave when there was a knock on the door. Matt opened it to all four girls and smiled when the girls threw themselves at him. "Hey, I missed you guys."

"We missed you too." Grace said.

"Guess what happened today daddy?" Emma looked up at him.

"What?" He crouched down in front of them.

"Uncle Kelly was kissing auntie Christie." They said together, Matt looking at Gabby and then at Christie, wind knocked out of him and words stuck in his throat.

* * *

 **A/n: Soooooo...Kelly and Christie. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter and please take a few minutes to leave a review. - Sarra**

 **Up Next: We get to see a litle bit of family chaos as the Casey's and Dawson's go out together for a little bit of fun.**


	43. Matt vs Kelly

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and the kids names.**

 **a/n: Thank you to everyone who left a review on the previous chapter and I usually don't update so quickly but I might have cheated at work and got carried away so I hope that you guys will enjoy this one.**

* * *

Matt looked up at Christie again, her cheeks red from blushig but his blood was boiling inside of him. He smiled at the girls before getting up.

"Do you mind staying with a girls for a little bit?" He got up and looked at Gabby.

"Matt." Gabby warned him, knowing what was probably going through his head.

"What are you doing Matt?" Christie finally dared to ask.

"I'll be right back." He smiled at the girls and grabbed his coat before walking out of the door.

"I hope he won't do anything stupid." Christie whispered as she helped Gabby with the girls.

Matt drove through the streets, one destination in mind. He parked in front of the very familiar building and climbed the stairs two at a time, banging on the door once he arrived where he wanted to be. It didn't take long before the door opened and without warning, Matt's right hook connected with Kelly Severide's cheek, Shay witnessing the whole thing.

"Stay away from my sister." He warned him before he turned on his heels and left Kelly on the floor to nurse his jaw.

He made his way back to his druck and drove back home where Christie no longer was and Gabby was drawing in the living room with the girls. She looked his way as she heard the door open and then close. She stood and made her way to him where she could see he was still slightly angry.

"How angry will your sister be at you?" She knew all too well the look he had on his face because Antonio had been like that with her old boyfriends when she had been a teen.

"Come on Gabby, it's Kelly. You know how he is. Christie's just a challange for him, another notch under his belt."

"Maybe you should have talked to him instead of letting your fist do the talking." He blushed slightly as she caught on to what he had done but he wasn't ready to apologize for it.

"I was a bad brother before and I didn't see what was staring at me in the face so no way I'm going to do that again." He kissed her tenderly and she smiled at him. She loved how protective and loyal he was with his family but she just hoped that this latest issue wasn't going to come between them. Gabby stayed a little bit longer before leaving to go back home and be with her own kids as Matt spent a little bit more time with the girls before he needed to get them ready for bed and get everything else ready for school in the morning.

Matt was only due on shift the day after that and although he had tried to call his sister, she hadn't answered and he wasn't sure if she was mad at him or just busy but he was pretty sure it was his first option. He tried not to think about it, next shift coming quickly. Boden was first to get to him, even before the rest of the house could to see how he was doing and if he was ready but he knew that he'd have to face Severide at some point but he only hoped that it wouldn't be a subject of conversation for the whole house. He made his way to the common room in hopes of grabbing a quick coffee and came face to face with Kelly who was walking in the common room from the other side of the house.

"Damn Severide who's boyfriend punched your face in?" Matt sat down at the head of the table and discreetly eyed him to see what he would say to Capp.

"None of your business Capp." He simply said before walking through the common room without so much as a glance in Matt's direction to go change but they didn't have time to have anymore interrogations when the bell rang, calling them to a traffic accident.

On scene, they acted like the professionnels but if you looked closely, you could see some tension between the two lieutenants. Once it was all cleared out, everyone packed their stuff up and drove back to the firehouse, Matt hiding away in his office to write his accident report. He was only into a few lined when he was interrupted by a knock on his office door.

"Mind if I come in?" He turned at the sound of the voice.

"Shay, what's up?" She simply looked at him but didn't need to tell him what her subject of conversation was. "Look Shay, I can't talk to him."

"Come on Matt, he's already feeling bad as it is, just go talk to him."

"He should have told me something before."

"Just man up Casey." She left it at that and turned around and left him alone to his thoughts. He tried giving the report some more thought but he was interrupted again, this time by the one person that he was trying not to think of.

"I don't have time Severide." He huffed.

"That's tough Casey cuz this is getting out of hand." Matt reluctantly stood from his chair and followed Kelly outside as he sat on the bumper of Squad 3, his arms crossed over his chest. Matt chose to stand and looked anywhere but in Kelly's direction. "Talk to me or yell at me Casey, whichever one you want but get it out."

"Tell me the truth Kelly. What is she for you huh? Just another conquest you can brag about?" There it was. He was finally getting what was on his mind off his chest.

"Don't you think I haven't thought about what you would think if you found out? That my first thought was why not get on Casey's bad side and screw around with his sister and her teenage daughter? Come on man, you know me better than that." Their eyes finally met and for the first time, Matt could really see the black eye that he had given Kelly a few days ago.

"She just got out of a divorce Kelly, she's vulnerable." He sighed, his only thought was to protect his sister.

"I know but that's not how it happened. We just bumped into each other on a run and it started with coffee."

"You want me to believe that you guys bumped into each other on a run? You don't run anywhere near her place."

"I've been running in the same spot for years Casey, it just happened." He stood up with a sigh. "Look Matt. This isn't a sick joke and we're taking it slow. Violet didn't take well to it either but then again she didn't give me a black eye for it." He smirked.

"Yeah, sorry about that. I'm guessing that's why she's not picking up my calls."

"She was a bit stressed about that, not mad though."

"But I swear Kelly." Matt warned him.

"I know. If I hurt her you'll give me more than a black eye." He wasn't joking because he knew that Matt was serious. "But we're good right?"

"Yeah we're good." They shook hands and Kelly went back inside just as Matt felt some arms around his waist.

"I see you've made up." Gabby whispered at his side.

"Yeah but what are you doing here?" He turned around in his arms and smiled at her.

"I came here baring lunch." She raised a bag with a smile.

"Perfect, let's go in my office." We wrapped arn arm around her shoulder and led her inside. He was happy to have talked it out with Kelly and only hoped that it was a new, happy chapter for his sister.

* * *

 **a/n: Ok so I know it was supposed to be a family outing this chapter but I started writing and I felt the need to write about the fallout of the twin's revelation so please take a few minutes to review and tell me what you guys think of it. - Sarra**


	44. The fair

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and the kids names.**

 **a/n: Thank you so much to everyone who left a review on the previous chapter. So now that Matt and Kelly had talked it out, life goes back to normal for Dawson and Casey but will going to the fair with all their brood turn into a little tornado? I hope you guys enjoy this latest chapter.**

* * *

It had been weeks since Matt's altercation with Kelly about dating his sister but after having seen them both together, it seemed clear to him that Christie was happy and that Severide was the main reason for it. The school year was almost over for the kids so they decided that it would be fun to attend the fair at the Navy Pier Fair all together. Everything had been set up a few days ago and since they were going to have a whole week end together, Matt and Gabby figured that it was the best time to go with all five kids, Violet and Christie too if they were up to it..

They had decided in the middle of the week that they would all sleep at Matt's, making it easier to get everyone ready in the same place. Gabby had also since then taken a few items of clothing over to Matt's who had cleared a drawer for her things. She had been spending more time there on her days off, the two spending some blissful alone time together while the kids were at school. Gabby came over on friday afternoon after school with her whole brood and the kids would enjoy a sleepover before a day filled with fun and laughter the next morning. As they usually did on days like this one, Matt and Gabby set up some tents in the living room so the kids could do some indoor camping while watching a movie and eating popcorn, both adults cuddled up on the couch with a glass of red wine.

"I can't wait to go to the fair tomorrow morning." Gabby leaned closer into Matt.

"You're just one overgrown kid." He chuckled softly. She placed her glass on the side table and faced Matt, seductively pressing her body to his in an attempt to throw him off and it worked, his hands resting on her hips and his lips coming down to kiss her tenderly. "I missed having you here." He whispered as they parted, Gabby's eyes closed as she enjoyed their tender moment.

"And I hate going to bed without you when I'm home."

"Move in with me then." He looked deeply in her eyes and smiled down at her.

Gabby closed her eyes for a moment before opening them again. "It's not that simple Matt." She sighed.

"What's not simple Gabby? I love you and I want us to live together."

"It's not just me Matt. I have three kids and we're a package deal."

"I know that and I want that whole package. I want you AND your three amazing kids." He smiled at her.

"I don't know Matt. You have to give me some time to think about it."

"And I'll give you all the time you need baby but I just want you to know that I love you and I don't want half of you. I want all of you and your three kids and whatever crazy life five kids would give us." He loved having them all here in the house and loved how seemingly they all fit together and he didn't want to change that for anything in the world. "Say you'll think about it." She dared to look at him through teary eyes.

"I'll think about it but please don't put any pressure on me to decide right away." He knew he was asking her a very important question and that it wasn't just her she had to take into consideration because if it was the other way around, he knew that he'd take that kind of decision with the girls best interest.

"I promise I won't ask you again until you're the one who brings it up."

"Thank you. So what's the plan for tomorrow? Is Christie coming wit us?"

"She said that she'd be there with Violet but I'm pretty sure we've have extra company to go with that."

"So he's been spending more time at her place huh?"

"One would say too much." Matt ran his fingers through Gabby's hair as they watched the end of the kids movie, all five kids having fallen asleep about an hour before.

"Oh come on Matt." She swatted him lightly on the chest. "They seem happy, let them be."

"I know he hasn't done anything yet but come on Gabby, it's Kelly Severide we're talking about."

"And Kelly is an upstanding guy, you trust him with your life."

"I wouldn't have made him the girls godfather if he wasn't."

"Than let it go babe. I just want to have some fun tomorrow, no matcho showdown." She smirked

"And I just want to have some fun now." He flipped them around, Gabby letting a squeal slip through her lips, Matt pinning Gabby under him, his lips crushing hers in a searing kiss.

"Matt, the kids." She breathed out heavily when Matt pulled away.

"Then you better be quiet." He smirked as he attacked her lips once again. They made out for a while before they took it to the bedroom where they spent a quiet evening cuddling before falling asleep tanglked up in each other.

They were woken up the next morning by Valentina who couldn't get over her excitement of going to the fair again. She had grown a lot in the pas months and Gabby was pretty sure that she'd be able to do more rides than the last time they had been there. She climbed on Matt's side of the bed, the closest to her and snuggled between the two of them on top of the covers.

"Mommy, rides."

"Yes baby girl, we're going on rides today."

"Are you ready?" Matt ran a hand through her ruely curls and the little girl smiled.

"Yes."

"Well I think we better get you dressed then because you can't go to the fair in your jammies." Gabby pulled her on top of herself, tickling her sides, her giggles filling in the room. Matt looked at his girl and smiled lovingly at the sight in front of would hold the promise he had made last night but he just hoped with all his heart that Gabby would say yes. They shared a small kiss as Gabby took Valentina to the girls room to get her dressed, both Grace and Emma already doing the same thing.

Matt helped out with both Luis and Filippe while Gabby started breakfast because they were running on a tight schedule. They made sure they had enough food for lunch and snacks with water so no one became dehydrated during the day. Once everyone was fed, they settled the kids into both cars and headed towards the navy pier, finding parking spots next to each other.

"Alright, everyone needs to have some sunscreen on." Gabby instructed the kids, both she and Matt smearing them so they wouldn't get burnt, the forcast calling for heavy heat. With five kids, it took a little bit of time before they were all ready for a day in the sun, Christie finding them by the entrance with Violet and as predicted the previous night, Kelly. At first, they went to the smaller rides so Valentina could have some fun, both sets of twins also doing some rides. Matt and Kelly eventually left with Violet to be able to do some bigger rides so she wouldn't be totally bored. They were lucky enough that the place wasn't packed with too many people so they could enjoy themselves without the fear of losing the kids.

They found a rare spot that had some shading to be able to have lunch with the kids. Kelly and Christie were sitting side by side, Matt not missing the smiles and the sideway glances. He felt like teasing them but one swift elbow in the ribs from Gabby was enough to stop him. When the kids were done with lunch, Matt and Kelly along with Violet left to do some rides, leaving both women alone to talk while the two sets of twins were having fun with balls and Valentina taking a short nap.

"Things seem to be going well with Kelly." Gabby commented as she put a strawberry in her mouth.

"They are actually. It's funny how life works. I wasn't expecting to find anyone so soon and least of all Kelly but he treats me right and he treats Violet right so I'm happy."

"I know what you mean. When I bumped into Matt right here at the end of summer, I never thought in a million years that I would find love." She blushed, remembering what happened as if it was yesterday. "And it scared me to be falling so quickly but it's been worth it. Matt asked me to move in with him last night."

"And what did you say?" Christie was smiling broadly because she was happy that her brother had found such a wonderful girl after Hallie.

"I told him I needed some more time." She looked down at her feet, blushing.

"And that's quite normal Gabby. You have a lot of things to consider, it's not just about the two of you."

"That's what I told him and he said that he wouldn't pressure me for an answer."

"He'd wait forever for you Gabby. That's how much he loves you."

"Has he told you anything?" She blushed.

"No but I know my brother and it's so clear that he loves you and your kids." Gabby smiled and simply looked at her kids playing with Matt's enjoying the beautiful day.

Matt and Kelly came back about an hour later to find the kids playing around with some balls and Valentina was just waking up, rubbing the sleep out of her little eyes.

"How about we go in the ferris wheel?" The girls jumped with joy, Matt knowing how much they loved riding in it so they all walked towards the end of the pier where the ferris wheel was, the kids skipping a little bit ahead of their parents.

They were surprised that there was so little people at the wheel so the wait was short. Both Grace and Emma were first with Kelly while Matt and Gabby would take Valentina, leaving Luis and Filippe with Christie and Violet when suddenly, Valentina raised her little chubby arms towards Matt and smiled at him.

"Daddy, up." All the adults froze at her request but she didn't understand what was going on.

"He's not your daddy." Luis said very loud, anger laced in his voice, Gabby's eyes filling with tears.

"That's enough Luis." Severide's voice was firm without being angry, the boy looking at him straight in the eyes. "And you're not our daddy either." He was about to run off when Kelly held him back, afraid they'd lose him if he did.

"How about we let mommy and Matt go up in the ferris wheel alone for a little bit?" Christie finally broke the awkward adult moment, taking Valentina in her arms then. Kelly and Violet took care of the kids while Matt sat in the compartment with Gabby, an arm wrapped around her shoulders while she tried to keep the tears from falling.

Once the wheel started going up, Matt decided to say something. "Gabby baby, talk to me." He stopped a tear in its tracks with his thumb as she looked up to him.

"I knew that eventually something like that would happen with her but I didn't think it would be so soon." She sniffled, putting her head on Matt's shoulder. "And Luis was so angry."

"I know it's hard because Valentina is still small and she doesn't understand what's going on but if you want me to talk to the boys with you so they can understand that it's not the same for her."

"Please. I don't think I can do that by myself."

"I'll be by your side every step of the way." He kissed the top of her head as the wheel descended back to the ground. When they didn't see the rest of their gang, they figured they had gone up after them so Matt kept Gabby tucked under his arm, her own around his side.

It took a few minutes before everybody else was back on the ground and Luis made his way to his mother, his head down. "Everything ok baby?"

"I'm sorry mom." He hugged her, Matt letting her go so she could hold her son.

"It's alright baby boy." She looked at him with a soft smile. "How about some ice cream before we go back home?" She announced, everyone, including the adults cheering for some. They made their way to a small stand serving all kinds of ice cream flavours and they all sat on benches, enjoying the cold treat. They slowly made their way back to the cars, Christie and Kelly leaving with Violet, leaving Matt and Gabby with their kids. Matt helped her with settling the kids in before putting Grace and Emma in his truck, leaving him a few moments alone with Gabby.

"Are you ok?" He searches her eyes to see if she would tell him the truth.

"No but I'll be ok." She smiled at him.

"Please call me when you get home so I don't worry."

"I will. I love you."

"I love you too." They shared a quick kiss and Matt waited for her to be settled and gone from her parking space before he hopped into his truck and drove back home with the girls. It didn't take more than a few traffic lights before the girls fell asleep, both completely exhausted from their day. Matt took them inside one at a time and he received a text from Gabby saying she was home and that she'd give him a call later. Matt knew that they'd have to have a serious conversation with the boys but he also knew that they'd weather this first small storm together.

* * *

 **a/n: Uh oh! Soooo Matt asked Gabby to move in with her. Having two families with kids come together brings some unexpected situations and without even knowing it, Valentina created a tough situation for everyone. I've known for a while that this chapter needed to be written and Justicerocks11 helped me by giving me some of her brainstorm ideas so I could get to this point so I hope you guys enjoyed it and please take a few minutes to review. - Sarra**


	45. Conversations pt 6

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and the kids names.**

 **A/n: Thank you to everyone who left a review on the last chapter, making the count to 600 something. Also, I want to welcome all the new followers, I hope you guys like it so far. So after they had fun at the fair, Valentina called Matt daddy, making Luis lash out a bit so Matt and Gabby get to have a little chat with them. Hope you guys enjoy it.**

* * *

Matt had asked Shay to stay with the kids today because he wanted to head over to Gabby's house so they could talk with the boys about what had happened the day before at the fair. Shay knocked on the door around ten.

"Thanks Shay, you're a life savour."

"You know I love spending time with my favourite girls." She picked up a giggling Emma. "Gabby called me last night."

"How was she?"

"She's taking it pretty hard."

"I told her I'd talk to them with her if she wanted."

"That's good. You're a good man Matt Casey." She smiled at him.

"I try. Thanks again." He kissed her cheek.

"Get out of here." He kissed both his girls before walking out the door, heading towards Gabby's place. He knocked a few times and waited for her to come open the door.

"Hey." He smiled at her as she held Valentina who held her arms out for him and he took her from Gabby. "Where are the boys?" He kissed her.

"In their room, playing. We didn't have to do this today." It was their last day off before shift and she was pretty sure Matt wanted to spend some time with the girls instead of being here.

"Hey, it's fine. I got something in this too. I get to spend a little bit more time with my girl."

"Well you're spoiling your girl then. How are the girls?"

"They're with Shay at home. I'm pretty sure there will be nails and toes painted by the time I get back home."

"It's good that they have a feminine presence for these things."

"Well they're in luck because they have the best three." He was thankful for his sister and Shay and now Gabby because he didn't know what he'd do if he didn't have them. He walked into the house and he played with Valentina on the ground. She was having fun building a tower of blocks and then throwing it to the ground so she could build it all over again. Gabby came to sit with them a few minutes before she started rubbing her eyes, signaling it was nap time. Matt took the opportunity to head towards the boys room so he could talk with them. He knocked on the door and immediately opened the door to find them playing with legos on the ground.1

"Can I come play with your guys?" He sat down with them and built a small car before he put it down and took a deep breath before talking to them. "Do you guys mind if we talk a little?

"Are we in trouble?" Filippe asked.

"No."

"It's about the fair isn't it?" Luis asked the question even though he knew the answer.

"Yeah Buddy."

"Is mom mad at me?"

"Oh baby I'm not mad at you but it was not very nice to say that to your sister." Gabby came into the room once she was sure Valentina was sound asleep.

"Valentina is still small and she doesn't understand things the way you do so it might happen that she says things like she did yesterday again." Matt said. It was no use getting upset because they had gone through something big and they were all still adjusting but he knew that they understood.

"Tina doesn't remember daddy like the two of you do so she doesn't understand that it hurts you so we have to be a little bit more patient with her."

"Ok mom. But do we have to call Matt daddy too?" Gabby and Matt looked at each other, remembering how they had already talked about this with them before but it was important for them to understand that their relationship wasn't going to change anything for them.

"I would never ask the two of you to call me dad, ever." Matt smiled at them.

"But you know what? Matt is going to be here a lot because he loves all of us. That ok with you guys?" Gabby asked her sons.

"Yeah that's ok." They smiled back at their mother.

"Alright, who wants to build a firehouse?" Matt changed the subject, winking at Gabby. The boys were overly excited and Gabby watched her boys play with her boyfriend, a huge grin on her face. Matt stayed a little while longer after they were done with their build and when Valentina woke up from her nap, he kissed her goodbye and Gabby walked him to the door.

"Thanks for doing this." She smiled up at Matt as he held her in his arms.

"I love you babe and our kids are the most important thing so I'll be here, always."

"I like the sound of that." She leaned on her toes and kissed him. "I love you too." They shared one last kiss before Matt went to spend the rest of the day with Grace, Emma and Shay, pizza being on the menu for dinner time.

* * *

"Alright Violet, it's just you and me tonight. What do you want to do?" He asked her as he picked her up from school. Christie had a parent/teacher conference and Kelly had offered to stay with Violet. He figured that they could do some bonding while it was just the two of them.

"Can we go to the mall?" She looked at him hopefully.

"The mall?" He almost choked. "One thing he hated was shopping and doing it with a twelve year old, he didn't know what he had to expect.

"Please?" She looked at him with her best pleading eyes.

"Sure." She had her mother's eyes and with that pout, he almost chuckled.

"Thanks." The drive to the mall was filled with Violet's account of how her day went at school and the good grades she couldn't wait to show her mom. When they got there, the mall wasn't too full, no doubt because it was so close to the end of school but Kelly figured it was the best time to do it.

"So where to first?" She looked down at her as she looked in the mall, nowhere in particular.

"Actually." She started sheepishly looking at Kelly as they started walking. "I just wanted to buy myself some bracelets and something else."

"What something else?" He wasn't sure if he was liking where this was going.

"Well I wanted to get a Blackhawks jersey and mom says it's too expensive but I've been saving up all the money I get from doing chores and maybe I don't have enough but can we go look?" She asked hopefully.

"Alright. Let's go for the bracelets first and then we can go see what kind of money we're talking about."

"Thanks Kelly."

"Don't thank me just yet." They made it a kids accessories store and Violet started looking around for something she might like, Kelly looking around, looking rather uncomfortable about being there.

"Your daughter is looking for you." Kelly snapped back to reality when a store clerk talked to him.

"What?" He wasn't sure if he had heard her right.

"Your daughter is looking for you." She repeated, pointing in Violet's direction.

"She's ah, she isn't my daughter." He simply said before making his way towards her. "Did you find what you were looking for?" She had all different kinds of bracelets in her hands.

"Kind of but I'm not sure which ones I want."

"How much money were you planning on spending in here?" Maybe if she had an idea of that it could help her make a choice."

"I mostly wanted to keep my money for the jersey."

"Than maybe you can choose a couple of them that you really like." He pointed to the bracelets in her hands. "And then we can go look look for that jersey." He offered.

"Ok." She put a few back where she took them and then went to pay for the ones she had kept. Kelly noticed all the bills she had in her wallet and wondered how much money he did have. They made their way out of the store under the eyes of the clerk and went in direction of the sporting goods store that was on the second floor.

"So. I saw you had a lot of money in there." He pointed to her wallet. "How much did you save up?"

"I knew it would be expensive so I saved up every penny I got from mom. I have a little bit more than a hundred dollars."

"Alright, let's go see what they have." He turned her around and guided her by the shoulders towards the Hawks jerseys. The junior jerseys were in a seperate section and so he took a red one that seemed like her size and put it on her to see if it fits. "It looks great." He smiled at her.

"How much is it?" She tried getting a look at the price tag but couldn't, Kelly looking for her. "How much Kelly? Do I have enough money for it?"

"Sorry kid." She wasn't missing all that much but her happy look that dropped from her face broke his heart. She had put aside every penny that she received from her hard work and she couldn't get what she wanted.

"I'll save some more then." She started to remove the jersey and looked at the price on the tag, disappointed that she wasn't missing all that much money to get what she wanted.

"Maybe we can do something about that." Kelly smiled at her, taking the shirt from her hands.

"What are you doing Kelly?" She followed him until he found a clerk.

"What name do you want to have on it?" The shirt was blank in the back. Violet simply looked on the ground and blushed, not saying a word. "What's wrong?" He was sensing something was bothering her and the clerk gave them a few extra minutes alone.

"I want to put the name Casey on it." She finally dared to look up at him.

"Have you talked to your mom about this?" He knew it was something deeper than just putting a name on a hockey jersey.

"No. I'm scared of what she'll think."

"Maybe uncle Matt can help you out if you want to talk about it first." He suggested. He hadn't had the best childhood with Benny moving from one wife to another but he couldn't imagine how it could be to feel lost like that. She simply nodded her head, not quite sure what was on her mind.

"Maybe we can come back for the shirt when I get more money?" She asked hopefully.

"How about I make a deal with you?" Her eyes found a new spark. "I know you don't have enough money to buy the jersey but since you managed to save all that money, I'll flip the bill for the rest of it."

"No Kelly. I can't. Mom would be so mad."

"How about you let me deal with your mom?" He smiled at her and she nodded. He signaled the clerk who came back and Violet gave her the money she had and Kelly paid for the rest of it. Violet held happily onto the bag that contained her jersey as they left the store.

"What are we having for dinner?" She asked.

"Do you have some homework to do?"

"Not for tomorrow."

"Alright. How about pizza?"

"That's fine." She smiled at him.

"Pizza it is then." They walked out of the mall and drove close by for the pizza.

"Where are you taking me?" She looked around and didn't recognize the place.

"Best pizza in Chicago. Come on." He killed the engine and they stepped outside. They walked into the building and Kelly nudged her shoulder. "Put a smile on your face, it'll be fun." Violet chuckled at his enthusiasm and they went farther inside, all the couloured lights of the arcade games pulling her in. They had fun together for another hour before they returned back home. It was a little bit over seven and Christie was back from the school.

"How did parent/teacher go?" Kelly kissed her.

"Not bad. How was your evening?" She was glad to see a smile on her daughter's face.

"We went shopping and had pizza for dinner at the arcade." Violet said excitedly.

"Oh shopping huh? What did you get?" She smiled and looked at Kelly with a smirk before looking back at Violet who exchanged a look with him. "Uh oh, I'm not sure i'm going to like that."

"I got some bracelets and a Blackhawks jersey." She waited for her mom's lecture that didn't take long.

"Violet. I told you it was too expensive." She sighed. "So what? You waited to be with Kelly so he could buy it for you?"

"But mom. I saved all my pocket money to buy it."

"And she didn't wait to be with me to buy it. I gave her the option of what to do and she told me what she wanted and I said we'd go see about the prices. I'm the one who offered to pay the rest. It really wasn't a big deal Chris."

"Can you give us a minute sweetie?" Violet sighed and left her mom alone with Kelly. Christie waited for Violet to be out of earshot before she spoke with Kelly. "You should have run it by me Kelly."

"You're right and I'm sorry but you should have seen her Chris. She had all her money put in her wallet, saved up just for that." He closed his eyes, thinking if he should tell her about the name problem. "I wanted to do something for her too and I asked her what name she wanted to put on the back of it. She wants to put the Casey name on it." Christie didn't know what to say to that so Kelly simply continued. "She's afraid of telling you about it."

"I didn't know she felt that way about her last name."

"Maybe you should have a talk with her." He pulled her to him and she pressed her forehead to his chest.

"I'm not prepared for this." She mumbled into his shirt. "I don't know what's the best answer here."

"Like I said, you should talk to her. She'll be able to tell you how she feels. I think it's a decision you guys have to take together." She finally looked up at him. "Call me later with an update." He leaned down to kiss her.

"I will. Thanks again for staying with her."

"Anytime. We had fun." He smiled at her.

"And thanks for telling me about this. I'll go talk to her." They kissed and Kelly let himself out of the house. She leaned against her counter and closed her eyes, taking a few breathes. "Someone give me strength for this." She whispered to no one before she made her way up the stairs to Violet's room and knocked softly. Only when she heard a reply did she open the door to find her daughter sitting up in bed with a book. "Can we talk?"

"Is Kelly gone?" She set aside her book and sat next to her mother on the bed.

"Yeah, it's just the two of us."

"You shouldn't be mad at him mom."

"That isn't why I'm here. Kelly told me about the name. Why haven't you come to me about it?"

"I didn't know what you'd say."

"I want you to be able to come to me with stuff like that."

"I don't want to have his name anymore mom. Everyone at school knows what he did and I don't want to hear it anymore."

"Changing your name won't change that Vi but whatever you decide, me and uncle Matt would love for you to be a Casey." She smiled at her daughter as she pulled her in for a hug.

This was all still new for the mother daughter, even if it had happened a while ago but knowing that they had each other would only make things easier as time passed.

* * *

 **a/n: Alright so I wanted to write a little bit of bonding between Kelly and Violet because I don't want to just put him and Christie together and let that fizzle out but it opened a totally different can of worms with Violet. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and please take a few minutes to review it, I love reading what you guys think - Sarra**


	46. Girls vs Boys

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except my imagination and the kids names.

 **a/n:** Thanks again to everyone who left a review on last chapter and I'd like to welcome all the new readers and followers, I hope you guys are liking it so far. Sorry for the delay in posting this one, back problems and all but it's getting better so hopefully I'll be able to be more consistant in posting. Enjoy

* * *

Things were going great between Matt, Gabby and all five kids after Matt had come by to talk with the boys and they had been spending extra time together. Matt and Kelly had made plans to go watch an NHL game with the kids but Gabby was skeptical about their ability to take care of four kids and one teen but it was too late for that now because they were all in her apartment, ready to leave.

"Are you sure that you guys can handle all of these kids?" Gabby stood next to Matt as the kids were running around the living room, chasing Kelly.

"We'll be fine Gabby. I just want you girls to have fun at the spa tonight."

"Oh we'll have fun, don't worry." Shay laughed as she patted Matt on the back.

"I'm not sure I should trust you now Shay." He laughed back, knowing how Shay was when she was on wine.

"Well tough."

"Alright kids, are you guys ready?" Matt asked, all kids giving him their undivided attention.

"Yes." They all yelled together.

"Oh boy. Good luck with them." Gabby kissed Matt on the cheek.

"Don't worry babe, we're going to be fine. When's Laura coming?" Christie and Shay had been there for a while but Gabby's sister in law was the only one missing so they could leave.

"She should be here any minute." Gabby's mom had already picked Valentina up for the night so they could spend a night relaxing and just having fun. The girls had scheduled an emergency spa evening after Gabby had told them about Matt's question to move in because she still hadn't given him an answer and she needed their input about it. Gabby turned as she heard a knock on the door, turning around to go open the door to Laura.

"I'm sorry I'm late." They hugged.

"It's fine Laura, Matt isn't gone yet with the kids."

"But we have to leave. Come on kids, coats and shoes on so we can go eat before we head to the arena." Matt wanted to at least save on dinner since he knew that the food at the game would be expensive. The kids made quick of getting dressed so Matt and Kelly were the first to leave with Violet and the four smaller kids, leaving the girls alone in the apartment.

"Alright so the dinner reservation is in thirty minutes, we should get going." Shay looked at her watch and then at the girls.

"Let me just grab my bag and we can leave." Gabby picked her bag from next to the couch and the girls were on their way. Christie had decided to drive, saying that wine would be flowing and that she was more than ok being the designated driver.

"Are you sure you don't want to drink with us?" Laura asked Christie as they walked down to street level.

"I didn't say I wasn't drinking." She chuckled. "I just won't drink as much as the three of you." They all got into the car and they drove towards the restaurant

* * *

Matt and Kelly parked in the McDonald's lot and they all came out, the kids overly excited to be able to go in the games while they all waited for their orders.

"Don't you want to go play with them?" Matt asked Violet as they waited by the counter.

"Uncle Matt. I'm twelve. I'm too old to play in there." Kelly laughed as Violet gave Matt an are you for real look.

"Sorry Vi." Matt looked at her sheepishly. "I'm just can't beleive how big you are now."

"Kids do that." Matt chuckled but the truth is that he had been a bit different with her since Christie had told him about Violet's wish to change her name to Casey and he had yet to talk to her about it.

 _Matt walked into Christie's house after knocking, knowing that his sister was preparing dinner. He grabbed Violet from the back as he entered into the kitchen, his niece not having heard him walk through the door. She gave a high pitched squeal, Christie turning around and laughing at the scene in front of her. Her brother was great with Violet and she was happy to have him in her life._

 _"What happened? I think you grew two inches since the last time I saw you."_

 _"An inch and a half." Christie laughed._

 _"Dinner smells great by the way."_

 _"You're still having dinner with us uncle Matt?" Violet asked hopefully._

 _"Yes I am. Shay's staying with the girls for their girls pizza and movie night."_

 _"So you got kicked out." Severide appeared in the kitchen._

 _"Pretty much." He laughed._

 _"A beer?" Kelly asked from the fridge._

 _"Sure. So how's school Vi?"_

 _"It's ok." She wasn't as enthuiast as Matt would have thougt._

 _"Come on Violet, let's go start a movie in the living room." Kelly placed his hands on her shoulders, guiding her away so Christie and Matt could talk._

 _"What's that about?" Matt turned to look at Christie again_

 _"Maybe you should sit down."_

 _"Chris, what's going on?" He stood his ground and stayed standing._

 _"Violet's been having trouble at school."_

 _"I thought she loved the Latin school. What happened?"_

 _"It's about Jim. Some kids have been being mean to her, telling her not so fun things about what happened and she's tired of it. She wants to change her name to Casey." Matt hadn't expected this at all._

 _"How long has this been going on?"_

 _"Since she went back after the divorce."_

 _"When did you find out?" He sighed._

 _"Last week. Kelly told me about it." Matt didn't understand why Kelly was the one to tell her about it and not Violet. "I know what you're going to say. How come Kelly knew before you. She told him because they bought a Hawks jersey and he asked her what name she wanted on it and she said she wanted to put Casey."_

 _"That's won't stop the mean kids though."_

 _"That's what I told her too but I also said that we'd be happy if she decided the Casey name. Maybe you could talk to her." He looked behind him to the living room where she was sitting next to Severide on the couch, laughing at the movie they were watching_

 _"Yeah. Maybe I can take her to do something soon, just the two of us."_

 _"I'm sure she'd love that. I didn't know it was so hard on her."_

 _"It can't be easy but we're here and we can help her through it. She won't be left to her own devices like we were, don't worry about it." He put his hand on hers and gave it a light squeeze._

 _"Thanks for everything Matt."_

 _"You've been there for me for these past five years, I wouldn't be anywhere else."_

When the food was ready, Violet rounded all four kids and after after instructions that they had to eat quickly, everyone sat down and the kids quietly ate their food. Once dinner was over and everything cleared out, the kids settled into the car again and they headed towards the United Center.

* * *

Gabby and the girls arrived at the restaurant not longer after they left her place and were led to to a large seating area in the back where they'd be able to have some privacy and some fun without the huge crowd of people. Laura ordered them a bottle of red wine and appitizers while they waited to order their food and offered a toast.

"So here's to friends, new and old and to Gabby who's come out on top of a very difficult year."

"To Gabby." Gabby smiled and they drank, looking over the menu.

"I know that we're here to have some fun but I need to talk to you guys about something." She had already talked to Christie about Matt's proposal and she smiled at her, encouraging her to talk about it but what she didn't know is that Laura was the only one who didn't know about it.

"Is something wrong?" Laura asked.

"No. Actually I really need your opinion on something." She blushed slightly.

"If you're looking to have some sex advice, forget it right now." Shay teased, trying to lighten the atmosphere.

"Shay, no." The pink of her skin turned a deep shade of red. "It's nothing like that. Matt asked me to move in with him." She finally said, not wanting to beat around the bush.

"Really? When?" Laura was the only one who was shocked by the news.

"A few weeks back."

"Did you answer him?" She questionned. Gabby and Laura were very close but she hadn't talked to her about it, struggling internally with the decision but so far, she hadn't been able to put her thoughts together to be able to make a clear headed decision.

"No. I've been wrestling with what to do, what answer to give him and I know he said he'd be patient but I don't want him to think that I'm toying with him because I'm not, I just don't know what to do." She said in one long breathe, dreading she'd lose her courage if she stopped. Shay put her hand on Gabby's and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"You know Matt would never pressure you into a decision. He loves you and the kids and he's willing to wait forever for you." They smiled at each other. Suddenly it didn't surprise Gabby that Shay already knew, being the girls godmother and all, which made her know that Kelly knew about it too.

"What is your heart telling you?" Laura asked as their food arrived.

"It wants to say yes but I'm scared it's too soon. And I'm scared of what the kids will think about it. I just want to make the right decision for everyone and I don't want to wait forever for an answer." She had heard the words from Shay that he would wait forever for her but she didn't quite beleive it.

"You know, as much as we want to take kids into account when we make that kind of decision, kids adapt easily but if you have doubts, then you have a problem." Christie added. "I've seen Matt with your kids and I know he doesn't want this to come between you guys but I know he loves them too and he knows you guys are a package. He wouldn't have asked you to move in if he didn't want all of it."

"But that will bring the kids to 5. Can we even manage that? And where would we live? There's so many things to think about."

"Yeah but first you have to decide what you want to do. Do you want to move in with Matt or not? If you can answer that, the rest can be figured out later." Shay loved her goddaughters and Matt was one of her best friends and she wanted him to be happy and now that Gabby was in the picture, she wanted her to be happy too and even if she didn't know Gabby for very long, she hadn't seen them more happy than when they were together with all their kids.

"And I know that Alberto would want you to be happy so you need to figure out what would make you happy here." Laura said.

They were all bringing valid points to the table and somehow, her thoughts were settling into place, figuring out the answers to the questions that they had all asked her. Matt had come into her life at a vulnerable moment and given her a new hope and happiness that she never thought she'd feel after her husband passed away.

"Alright, I have an other toast. To new beginnings." Gabby raised her glass.

"To new beginnings." The girls cheered and drank some wine while they ate, a new bottle appearing as soon as the one on the table was empty.

* * *

Matt and Kelly found a parking space side by side at the United center and everybody got out of the cars. It was already starting to be crowded so Matt wanted to make sure all the kids understood how the evening was going to go.

"Alright guys. I want everyone to hold a grown up's hands because I don't want to run after anyone or lose any of you ok?"

"Yes Matt." The boys said first.

"Ok dad." The girls said after. Emma went straight for Violet's hand while Grace held on tight to Matt, Luis and Filippe opting to take Kelly's hands.

"Alright, let's go have some fun." Kelly said as they walked towards the entrance of the arena. Matt handed the usher their tickets and they all went towards the entrance of the bathrooms.

"Any of you need to go to the bathroom because it's going to be harder later on." All the kids went just to be safe aven though Matt suspected that he'd have to go back with at least one of them during the game. "Ok let's go find our seats and go for some snacks." Matt and Kelly knew the building since they had come to a few games together so they all walked towards the seat section on their tickets and stopped at a food consession to grab some snacks for everyone.

"I want popcorn." Grace asked, pulling on Matt's arm.

"And I want a slushie" Emma requested.

"What about you guys?" Kelly asked the Luis and Filippe.

"Can we have m&m's?" They asked hopefully. It was the first time they were getting to do such a fun activity.

"I think we can get that yeah." Kelly smiled at them. "What about you Vi? What do you want?"

"Just a pretzel and some water." They got themselves something as well and a few water bottles for everyone before they went to get their seats. The game was starting in about thirty minutes.

* * *

The girls meal was well on its way of being finished and the bottle of wine that was sitting on the table was half way empty but the girls weren't very drunk, trying to be in good condition to be able to go to the spa after.

"I wonder how the boys are doing with all the kids." Shay laughed, the alcohol well into her system.

"With Matt and Kelly, I'm not too worried." Christie smiled.

"So Kelly huh?" Shay asked her. "How did that happen?"She had tried to pry the information out of Severide and had failed, the roomate card not working in this case.

"I don't kiss and tell." The girls gasped as she put a forkful in her mouth so she wouldn't have to answer questions but from the look on Shay's face, it was far from being over. Apart from knowing that they were together and that he was staying over every once and a while, Kelly had refused to tell her anything, which for her meant that it was serious for him.

They each ordered some desert before they grabbed their tabs and left the restaurant, Christie driving as promised towards the spa. They were given locker keys with a plush white robe and a bottle of water before they went to change in their bathing suits before returning to main desk where they received a few more instructions. They went into the hot water bassins and relaxed for a bit.

"Thank you for bringing me here, I needed this." Gabby smiled at them. They enjoyed an hour and a half of the baths before they went to sit down by the fire so they could relax a little bit. They were talking for half an hour when a young woman came to interrupt them.

"Gabriella Dawson?" Gabby looked at her with a smile, wondering what was going on.

"Yes that's me."

"I have a reservation for an hour long massage for you." She looked at all three girls, wondering who had done that for her.

"I'd bet anything that's all Matt's doing." Christie smiled at her brother's girlfriend. It was his type of thing to do for her.

"Well what are you waiting for? Go get pampered and we'll be here when you're done." Shay laughed.

"I'll see you guys later." She followed the woman towards the massage parlors and she handed her a small envelop that read _Enjoy, you deserve it Love - Matt xx_ Gabby blushed lightly as she was instructed to lie down face down on the table and she let the girl do her magic, enjoying every second of it.

* * *

Matt and Kelly waited in the enormous bathroom line with the boys during the second intermission while Violet did the same with the girls.

"So how do you think the girls are doing?" Matt looked at his watch before answering.

"Right now, if they weren't late, Gabby is enjoying a massage."

"So, did she give you an answer for your question yet?" He didn't want to say the actual words because he knew the boys didn't know about it and he didn't want to be the one to tell them about it.

"She hasn't but I don't want to pressure her you know? It's a huge decision to make."

"I totally get that." Kelly let his sentence linger as they made little progress in the line.

"Something on your mind Severide?" Matt was watching the wheels turn in Kelly's head and wondered what was bothing him.

"Huh? No, everything is fine."

"When you're ready to talk, let me know." They finally managed to make it to the bathroom on time and met up with the three girls at the bathroom entrence.

"Dad, I'm hungry again. Can we go get some more food?" Grace asked, Matt looking at the timer saying there was only 5 minutes left to the intermission.

"Come on Grace. You ate all your happy meal and a whole popcorn. How can you even be hungry right now?"

"I'm hungry dad, I want a hot-dog please"

"Alright." He took her in his arms. "You two good to go back to our seats with all three kids?"

"We'll be fine uncle Matt."

"Ok, we'll be right there. You boys be nice for Kelly and Violet." He told the boys

"Yes Matt." They said together.

"Alright, let's go." Matt tried to navigate as quickly as possible through the crowd to get to the concession"Are you sure you don't want anything while we're here?"

"Cotton candy." She smiled.

"Alright, cotton candy it is." He paid for everything and they made it back to their seats, five whole minutes of the period already gone and the points were now tied. The kids were jumping up and down and the game was super exciting but five minutes later, Filippe complained about the need to use the bathroom again and Kelly was the one to go this time. They ended up spending most of the period between the bathrooms and the food concession, missing most of the third period but Matt wouldn't have it any other way. The game ended by the count of 5-3 for the Hawks, the kids happy that the team had won while they were there. They carefully moved through the crowd on their way out, hands being held tightly not to be lost in the mass and they managed to make to the car in one piece.

Violet hopped in the front seat of Kelly's car and the girls rode with him too, leaving Matt and the twins in Gabby's car on the way back to his place. When they made it home, Christie's car was parked in front of the house so they had arrived home without too much trouble.

* * *

Gabby enjoyed every single second of her massage as the girl pressed into the knots in her back from working at the hospital and taking care of all three kids. She kept in mind to thank Matt later when they were alone. She met up with the girls by the fire after she had showered, all three of the girls fully dressed as well.

"Are you ready to go?" Shay asked Gabby.

"Yeah. All relaxed and ready to go." They drove back home in Christie's car and made it to Matt's house before the boys.

"Do you mind giving me a ride?" Shay asked Laura because she suspected Kelly was going to end up at Christie's for the night.

"Sure, no problem."

"Thanks for everything again. It was really fun." The girls all hugged and Gabby made herself at home with Christie and they brewed some coffee while they waited for the boys.

"So, did you give more thought to Matt's proposition?"

"I think I'm going to say yes." She smiled as the door opened just as she said that, Matt walking in with Grace who was asleep in his arms, Emma falling asleep next to him, Kelly walking in with both boys wide awake and Violet in tow, wearing her new team jersey. They took care of getting the kids ready for bed, Grace not offering too much resistance as Gabby changed her into her pj's. Matt closed the door and went back downstairs with Gabby, where Kelly and Christie were ready to leave with Violet

"Thanks again for the ride." Gabby hugged Christie.

"You're welcome, this was fun. We should do this some other time."

"Absolutely." Matt hugged his niece and the trio left, leaving Gabby and Matt alone again, Matt locking hehind them. "So, how was the game?" She asked as he pulled her to him.

"They won, it was great."

"The kids didn't give you too much trouble?"

"They were well behaved but we did miss part of the third for bathroom and food breaks."

"Sorry about that."

"It's fine. The kids had fun. What about you?"

"It was amazing. Thank you for the massage and the little note." She raised on her tip toes and kissed him. They made out until air was an issue "I have something else for you." She smiled micheviously.

"What is it?" He smirked, loving her playfulness.

"Yes." She simply said.

"Yes?" He had no idea what she was talking about.

"Don't tell me I have to make you ask me again."

"Yes?" His smile grew.

"Yes. I want to move the craziness in with you." He lifed her up and spun her around, making her squeal.

"I love you so much." He crushed his lips to hers in a searing kiss, lifting her up so she could wrap her legs around his waist. They made it up the stairs and Matt laid her down on the bed and they made out before clothes started flying, landing randomly on the ground and they made love tenderly, only falling asleep hours later, a new beginning ahead of them.

* * *

 **a/n:** The girls had fun at the spa and the boys, although a bit hectic, had fun with all the kids at the hockey game and Gabby finally said yes. How will the conversation with the boys go when both she and Matt deliver the news? And what kind of new chaos will that bring?

I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and please take a few minutes to review before you go - Sarra


	47. Birthday girl

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except my imagination and the kids names.

 **a/n:** Thanks to everyone who reviewed last chapter and welcome to the new readers, hope you guys like it so far. Crazy life means less writing so sorry but I hope you guys enjoy this little piece of girly heaven.

* * *

Matt and Gabby had talked a lot about her answer to his proposal but each time, they had ended with the same conclusion. Neither her place nor his had enough space to house all seven people and they would have to look for a new place. They had decided to wait a little bit before talking to the kids about the big change because Valentina was turning two soon and Gabby wanted to be able to have a party without all the chaos a move would bring.

Gabby was browsing the internet for little girl party ideas on her day off, wanting that day to be perfect even though it would be the first birthday to be celebrated since Alberto's death.

"Did you find anything?" Matt asked from the kitchen where he was preparing some lunch for them.

"Nothing yet. This is getting very frustrating."

"What was your theme for her first birthday? Maybe you can go from there."

"Butterflies. There was a lot of pink and purple."

"What about princesses? You could dress her up and have balloons and tiaras and stuff." She hadn't thought about going to Matt about this but he had a great idea.

"What year was that theme for?" She giggled from the spot in the living room.

"Three. The girls were so excited to be dressed up and sparkly."

"I don't know how you managed all by yourself. This is hard."

"I had a lot of help. Firsts are always tough." He walked to her and put his hands on her shoulders.

"I didn't think it would affect me like that." She chocked up.

"It's perfectly normal to feel like that. I remember the first time I went through a milestone without Hallie. I put on a smile for the girls but inside I was a mess. I don't remember a time when I was at such a loss. I sat in the kitchen that night and I cried for hours until there was nothing left to cry. That was one of the turning points for me, that I needed to be strong for the three of us but I promise it gets better." He kissed the top of her hair.

"Thanks, I don't know what I would do if you weren't there." She turned her chair to face him.

"You'd be just fine I promise. Lunch is ready." He helped her up and they kissed. "I can't wait for us to move in together."

"You do know it's going to be complete chaos don't you?"

"I think we can handle that chaos together, don't you think?"

"I really like the sound of that. How do you think the kids will react?"

"I don't know but we'll find out soon enough." Valentin'a birthday was on Friday so they were having some friends over to celebrate it, nothing too fancy and then they'd sit the kids down and tell them about the big change that was about to come. "So princesses on Friday?"

"Yeah, Princesses on Friday. That sounds like a good plan."

"Good. The girls and Shay will love to help out.2

"No, I can't ask them that."

"Trust me, they'll jump at the opportunity." He laughed. He knew the girls would be extra excited to put up décorations and dress up themselves.

"Ok. Alright, I'm starving. What's for lunch?"

"Chicken Cesar Salad." They ate lunch and then went on a princess mission.

Friday came by quickly and the girls had come on the Thursday under special autorization from Matt to go to bed much later than normal on a school day to put everything up so Valentina could Wake up to a princess theme.

Matt had asked Gabby to film her reaction to all the decoration and when he had received the video, he had smiled at her reaction of Wonder, Gabby telling her that friends would come over for some fun after daycare. Matt had used this last day to make the final touch ups to her present, a surprise to both Valentina and Gabby. Christie had picked the girls up from school to give Matt some time to finish everything without interruptions and when they arrived at Gabby's house, they were already dressed in princess costumes, a small one for the birthday girl as well.

When Matt made it to Gabby's place, most of her family was already there and since his present was really big, he decided to give it to her right away.

"I have a special delivery for princess Valentina." The little girl looking at up him with a big smile. Gabby sat on the floor with her while Matt took the house in, Valentina jumping up from the ground with a squeal and running over to Matt. The smile on Gabby's face was priceless also when she saw the dollhouse.

"Matt, it's beautiful." She came to see him as he put the house in a corner where Valentina could play with it without too much interruptions.

"Thanks. I didn't see one so I figured that she'd like that."

"Well I'm pretty sure I'll have more time on my hands thanks to you."

"Glad I can help." He laughed. All the adults mingled while the kids were playing loudly in the living room, sometimes making it hard to understand each other but Matt and Gabby navigated through it was if it was the most normal thing for them. Matt was talking with Severide when Gabby's dad came to talk to him.

"Now I see first hand how much you care about my daughter and her kids. That's a beautiful doll house Matt.2

"Thank you. I figured she'd like that. Grace and Emma loved thaying with theirs."

"Well I'm glad my daughter had found you."

"Thanks Edouardo." Matt didn't dare talk about them moving in together, not knowing if she had told her parents or not. They talked a bit more before he excused himself and patted Matt on the back.

"So, did you guys tell the kids you were moving in together?"

"No. We wanted to take care of doing the birthday party for Valentina first before telling the kids. I don't even know if her parents know we're moving in together."

"Dad might not be so happy about that though." Kelly snickered, slapping Matt on the shoulder.

"Don't hurt my man, I like him in one piece." Gabby wrapped an arm around Matt's waist.

"I'll try to keep that in mind." Kalley left them together for a little bit.

"Do you need help with anything?" He pulled her to him.

"No but we'll probably be giving the cake and présents soon."

"Alright, let's go do this." They walked back to the kitchen where Matt helped her get all the food off the table so there was enough space for the cake, plates and cutlery already in place with the help of the four kids. Gabby took Valentina on her lap as Antonio and Laura got the cake ready. The lit up the candle and everybody started singing happy birthday, Valentina clapping along to the song.

Gabby kissed her little chubby cheek as tears pooled in her eyes, emotions getting the better of her but she kept them from falling. Her eyes met Matt's and she smiled at him, glad that he was by her side for this. With Gabby's help, the candle was blown and they passed some cake around along with some coffee and some milk for the kids. Valentina stuffed her face with two slices of cake, Gabby wondering if she'd ever be able to put her down for bed later. Once she managed to get her cleaned up enough, Gabby sat back down again with her so they could start with the opening of the présents. She almost had more fun tearing the paper than what was given to her. She got everything from clothes to toys and Matt put all the wrapping in a bag to keep the the appartment from being littered with it.

Surprisingly, Valentina started falling asleep in Matt's arms a little later in the evening when people started to leave so Matt took her to her room and laid her down in her bed, still dressed as a princess. He kissed her forehead and closed her door before he made it to Gabby again as she was saying bye to Antonio and Laura, her parents being the last ones standing. They stayed a little while longer while Gabby and Matt put the four other kids to bed in the boys room, the girls all rolled up in their sleeping bags before they went to sit with her parents for a cup of coffee.

"You did a wonderful party sweetie."

"Thanks mom." They smiled at each other as Matt sat down with them.

"And that doll house is beautiful Matt. Did you make all of it?"

"The house and the inside of it yes but I bought the furniture for the rooms."

"Well she'll have a lot of fun. I remember how Gabby was with her dollhouse."

"Momm." Gabby didn't want her to start up that story because she had played with that house longer than she cared to admit to anyone.

"What? You loved that house. It's the best present we ever gave you."

"It's the toy the twins play with the most as well." Matt gave Gabby a look and she understood what it meant.

"Speaking of houses. There's something I want to tell you."

"The two of you are moving in together." Edouardo said, both Gabby and Matt looking at each other, trying to figure out who had said what, Laura being one of the only ones who knew she had said yes. "No one told me honey, I figured it out all by myself."

"Did you tell the boys?" Esmeralda asked in turn.

"Not yet." Gabby confessed.

"We wanted to have a chaos free birthday for Valentina so we decided to wait before telling the kids. It's going to be a big change for all of them."

"But I think it will be a good thing, for everyone." Both Edouardo and Esmeralda liked Matt and had seen the change in their daughter from being with him since her husband had died and they only wanted her to be happy.

"I have next week-end off. I think it'll be the best time to tell them." Matt said. They hadn't set a definite time to tell them about it but they didn't want to just drop the news on them and move on with our lives.

"I think it's a good decision. You don't want to just drop a bomb on them." Edouardo put in.

"That's exactly what we thought. And we'll have to find a new place because we don't fit in either one place.

"I agree. We'll help you as much as we can."

"Thanks mom."

"My daughter's happiness and my granskids is all I want and I have a feeling that you will give that to them."

"That's the plan." He looked at Gabby with a smile. "There's nowhere else I'd rather be and when you find the one, you don't let her go." Gabby blushed deeply.

"No you don't." Edouardo looked at his wife as she smiled back at him. "Alright, we'll let you two kids alone, you've had a long day."

"Thanks dad and thank you for the presents."

"It's nothing." Esmeralda insisted. They all hugged and finally Matt and Gabby were all alone.

"Finally, it's just us." She exhaled, picking up some plates that were sitting around.

"Well just us can pick the rest of the things up later." He tried taking the plates from her.

"Later I won't want to move. It'll take five minutes."

"I know not to argue with a Dawson woman." He let go of the plates and helped pick the rest of the things up and put them away in the dishwasher, only taking the five minutes Gabby had said.

"See, five minutes."

"I really should stop going against you."

"You'll never learn." She giggled as he tickeled her.

"And I'll never get tired of it." He pulled her down with him on the couch and they cuddled, silence between the two until Gabby broke it.

"Do you think they'll be ok with it?"

"I don't know but what I do know is that we'll be there for them, and for each other, no matter what."

"I like the sound of that." They spent the rest of the evening like that until it was time for bed, both content in just laying in each other's arms.

* * *

 **a/n:** Valentina turned two and Matt and Gabby wanted her to have the perfect day. Almost everyone knows they'll be moving in together except for the kids. Next chapter will jump to the next week end where Gabby and Matt will tell the kids about their plans to move in. Will it go smoothely or will one or more kids be against it?

Please take a few minutes to review before you go, I always love to find out what you guys think of it - Sarra


	48. Conversations pt7

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing except my imagination and the kids names.

 **a/n:** Thanks to everyone who left reviews on the last chapter (including the ones I got today). I'm really sorry for the delay in posting this chapter. I actually picked up a BOOK, a real one and have been reading for the past few days but I'm back now. For every author I follow...I PROMISE to get back to reading SOON because I'm so far behind on everyone's stories. I hope you guys will like this chapter

* * *

Matt spent the week on shift, thinking of the best way to break the news to the girls that they'd be moving in with Gabby and her kids. He sat in his office in front of yet another incident report but wasn't able to commit to it, throwing his pen across his desk.

"Woah. Why so angry?" Matt smiled as he looked at the intruder at his door.

"What are you doing here?" He got up and kissed Gabby.

"I came bearing lunch." She raised a bag from the deli down the street. "And to see if you were having as much trouble as I am."

"What's wrong?"

"Trying to go over how I'm going to tell the kids about all of us moving in together."

"Tell me about it. I can't concentrate on that stupid report."

"So you too huh?"

"Yeah. When I think I know how to handle it, all I do is doubt myself."

"Maybe we can break the news to them together." They moved inside of his office and they both sat down on the bed, Gabby handing him a sandwich.

"That's an idea I hadn't thought about before. I think it could be work."

"It's settled then. I was thinking since it's supposed to be nice outside this week end that we could have a little pic nic in your yard and we can talk to them about it."

"That sounds like a good plan. How long are you staying?" He groaned as the overhead paging system interrupted them.

"I'll see myself out, go save lives." She smiled at him as he ran out to his truck. She stayed behind a few minutes to pack his lunch away and store it into the fridge before she left, a few more errands to do in the afternoon.

Matt returned to the firehouse about an hour later, the only sound coming from the tv that had stayed on as they rushed out to the scene so he returned to his office to do the incident report he had failed to write up earlier, adding this last call to the list. He always hated being behind on paperwork, it being the part of the lieutenant job he disliked the most. He picked up the note that Gabby left and read it, a smile lingering on his lips.

 _I put your lunch in the fridge for when you come back. Call me later tonight._

 _I love you - Gabby xx_

"You are so whipped." Shay laughed from the door.

"Not that I'm complaining." He sat back down at his desk.

"So how's it going with talking with the kids about the move?"

"Picnic this week end at my place. We decided to tell them all together. I think we'll need each other."

"I think so too but you do know that they'll be fine. I'm there if you need us, Kelly too."

"Thanks Shay." They smiled at each other before she turned around to leave him to his reports, knowing that's the part of his job he hated being behind on. Shay came back a few minutes later just to drop off his lunch before she went to grab some food for herself.

Matt pushed through the reports even though he wasn't up to it and he managed to finish them before a new call came in, all hands on deck this time. He laid down on his bunk later at night, sleep evading him as his thoughts kept going a mile minute so he decided to send Gabby a text, afraid she'd already be asleep. When he was about to close his eyes to sleep, no answer from Gabby, his phone rang.

"I'm sorry if I woke you up baby."

"I wasn't asleep, too many thoughts going through my mind." He didn't quite believe her, her voice slightly groggy but he was happy that she had called, her soft voice calming his own nerves a bit.

"Great minds think alike then. Everything ok with the kids?" He wondered.

"Everything is fine, they're all sleeping."

"That's good. Still thinking about the talk we have to have with them?"

"Yeah. I'm just a little scared about how they'll react, this is a big step for them."

"And for you too. We can push it back if you want." He said gently into his phone.

"No." Her voice was sure and stronger now. "We are not pushing anything back. I know it's a big decision but I know it's the right one."

"God I love you."

"I love you too. Now you better get some sleep before a call comes."

"Don't jinx." He started only to be interrupted by the overhead paging system calling them to a house fire.

"Sorryyy." He said apologetically as Matt stood up from the bed to put his boots on, the phone still tucked between his ear and shoulder.

"Call me in the morning when you're on shift."

"I will but you need to keep your badge off the wall."

"Yes ma'am." He laughed as he made it to his gear that was waiting for him by the front of the truck and hung up.

It was a short call that brought them back to the house barely thirty minutes later, Matt going directly to his office and to Hell with the report, he'd just have to write it up when he woke up the next morning.

* * *

Gabby arrived early with the kids on saturday, the sun already shinning high even though it was still fairly early in the morning. All three kids ran past Matt, a hello screamed in the air, making both adults laugh candidly.

"Someone's eager." He kissed her as he took the bags full of food she had in her hands.

"When I told them we were having a picnic at your place, they went crazy, even Valentina."

"Maybe luck will be on our side."

"Let's hope so." They walked into the kitchen together and cleared away the food before Matt pulled her to him for a proper kiss. "What was that for?" She asked in a low whisper, her breathing erratic fromit.

"Because you're amazing." He kissed her again, this time a little voice coming from the kitchen doorway.

"EEEWWWWWWW." Valentina pouted, making the adults laugh at how adorable it was. They let the kids play together in the basement while they prepared everything for the picnic, Valentina taking every slice of apple Gabby was giving her as a snack.

"Boys have cooties."

"Is that so?" Matt bent down at her level.

"Uh huh." She smiled at him.

"You asked for it." He lifted her up in his arms, fingers tickling at her sides as he blew kisses on her cheeks while she giggled happily. Gabby looked at them with a loving smile, making her more convinced than ever that she was doing the right decision. Matt put Valentina back down as she caught her breath and he helped Gabby finish the food. Lunch was looming and the basement was souding a little bit too quiet quiet for their taste so Gabby went downstairs and found all four kids building houses out of legos.

"I think I'll need to buy you some of those." All four looked up at her from what they were building.

"How come?" Filippe asked, not getting why his mother was saying that.

"I've never heard you guys so quiet before." She mused. "It's time for lunch." All four of them cheered loudly and went upstairs to find Matt who was waiting for the with all the food in containers.

"Who's ready for a picnic?"

"We are." All five of the kids were jumping around. Matt looked at Gabby with a smile and a wink, making her blush.

"Alright so I need everyone's help." Matt handed them each a little something, even Valentina and Gabby grabbed the biggest container while Matt took the blanket and wrapped his arm around her waist. "It's going to be fine." He whispered to her ear, sensing her aprehension for the conversation they were going to have in the next hour with the kids.

Matt put the blanket on the grass and the kids put everything on it and everyone sat down. The kids ran around the yard in between bites, chasing each other and laughing.

"Are you ok?" Gabby seemed so far away.

"Yeah, why?"

"You look so far away."

"Sorry. Weird feiling."

"It'll be fine, I promise." He kissed her temple

"You better keep that promise Matt Casey."

"I will." He smiled. "Hey kids, time for desert." He smiled at Gabby. This was it! They were going to tell the kids and there was no turning back. They had cut some fruit up because they knew all five kids loved them.

"Are we doing something fun tonight dad?" Grace questionned as she stuffed some melon in her mouth.

"Actually, Gabby and I have something we want to tell you guys."

"Are you guys breaking up?" Emma, sad features on her face.

"No. Actually it was happy news we wanted to tell you guys."

"What is it?" Luis asked cautiously. Of all the kids, both Matt and Gabby were sure that Luis would be the one who wouldn't welcome the news very well because they knew he always felt like they were trying to fill the spot his father used to have in his life.

"You know that I love your mother very much."

"And I love Matt too and we know that it hasn't always been easy in the past year but we're really happy and Matt asked me, asked us to live with him." The girls were already starting to get excited of the idea of sharing their life with them but Luis finally stood up.

"NOOO!" He screamed, running towards the house where he ran straight into Kelly who picked him up.

"Hey buddy, what's wrong?"

"Put me down." He screamed. "Don't touch me Kelly." Gabby was already on her feet and on the Luis's heals. Kelly put him down so Gabby could talk to him. She gave him a silent thank you as he passed them along with Shay who gave Gabby's shoulder a reassuring squeeze and she passed, both Grace and Emma jumping at her as she made it to them.

Matt looked from afar, Filippe sitting next to him, in deep conversation.

"Hey, Luis, talk to me." She held onto both his arms trying to make him look at her.

"No." He whispered.

"Luis, you have to talk to me."

"You don't even care." He finally exploded, trying to get out of his mother's grasp.

"No. You don't get to say that and try to run away from me." She felt just as if he had hit her in the face.

"You don't even care about us. You didn't even ask if we wanted to live with Matt or not."

"Don't you like Matt? And the girls?"

"Yes but I miss dad."

"Aww baby." She pulled him into a tight hug. "I miss daddy too but daddy would want us to be happy." She pulled away and looked at him with a smile. "Think of it as a fun new adventure."

"Promise you won't let go?"

"I know it's new and scary but I won't let go of you guys, I promise." They looked into each other's eyes for a few seconds.

"Secret handshake?"

"Secret handshake." She laughed as they did they're little hand moves they had done for the past two years, just Gabby and Luis. "Let's go see how your brother's doing." She picked him up and went to join everyone else where all the kids were swarming Kelly, Filippe on his back.

She put Luis down, who went directly into the pile-up and she snuck towards Matt and wrapped her arm around her waist.

"Everything ok?" He looked down at her.

"Perfect." She smiled.

"Hey everyone." Shay grabbed everyone's attention. "Kelly and I actually came for a specific reason."

"What is it aunt Leslie?"

"What do you guys think if we had a sleepover at mine and Kelly's place?"

"Us too?" Luis asked hopefulle, the same smile reflecting on Filippe's face.

"Even you too bug." Kelly confirmed.

"And Valentina." Shay smiled.

"YAY!" The little girl squealed.

"Alright. Why don't you guys grab your things and then we can go buy some candies and popcorn on the way." All four kids ran inside and Shay picked Valentina up and went into the house.

"Thanks for this guys." Matt said as they walked inside.

"We're going to have so much fun." Shay laughed. She had planned a girly night in the bags with nail polish and candies and chick flicks and Kelly was going to order pizza for everyone, giving Matt and Gabby a small break from all the day to day action. Matt helped put all the seats in both cars and then they helped everybody in the car and they gave their hugs and kisses before Matt and Gabby hugged Kelly and Leslie in turn.

Matt and Gabby walked back inside, their hand linked together and they sat on the couch, Gabby cuddled into his side.

"How did it go with Luis?"

"He misses Alberto a lot." She put her head on his shoulder.

"What about you?" He whispered in her hair.

"I miss him too, a lot." She started and paused a few seconds, Matt giving her all the time she needed. "But being with you, the sadness is not as strong as it probably would be worst without you." She finished. Matt ran a gentle hand on her leg.

"I'd give all of this up in a second if I could give him back to you."

"He would have liked you." She mused.

"So what next?" He asked after a few seconds.

"We spend a quiet night, just the two of us and tomorrow, we get to start on a new adventure."

"Do I get to have a secret handshake?" She could hear the smile in his voice.

"You can have anything you want." She looked up at him with a smile.

"I'll just settle for having you then." He leaned down and kissed her.

They spent a quiet evening together, ordering thai for dinner and watching movies, something they hadn't done in a long time. They both knew that it would be one of their last quiet time together in a little while so they simply enjoyed it.

* * *

 **a/n:** So finally they had the talk with the kids about them moving in. It wasn't really a surprise that Luis would feel so strongly about the whole thing since he's the one of Gabby's kids who misses his dad the most and is the most vocal about it.

 **Next up:** The kids have a slumber party at Shay and Kelly's place.

I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and please take a few seconds to leave a review before you go - Sarra


	49. Slumber party

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and all five kids.**

 **a/n: Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, you guys rock. So now that Matt and Gabby took the decision to move in together, Kelly and Shay take the kids for the night so I hope you guys enjoy it.**

* * *

Shay and Kelly drove towards the closest mall where they knew the candy store to be. Once they were inside, the instructed all four kids to choose only two sorts of candies each, having popcorn waiting for them at home too. Once the kids were back in the car, they were all excited but Severide and Shay had to remind them a few times not to touch the candies until after dinner was over and that they movie was on. The first thing that they did when they made it home was unpack the sleeping bags and ordered the pizza.

Shay started by painting Valentine's nails first, knowing that she wold be the first one to fall asleep during the movies. The girls were having fun in the living room while they waited, music souding in the background and they were dancing, the boys in the kitchen.

"What are we going to drink with the pizza?" Luis asked.

"You guys get juice but do you guys like rootbeer?" He leaned against the counter, both boys on a high stool.

"We've never tasted it." Filippe said. Severide was pretty sure that Gabby was the kind of mom that tried feeding her kids healthy things so it didn't surprise him all that much.

"Alright so I'm going to have a treat for you guys after dinner, before we dive into the candy and popcorn." Kelly looked at his watch and figured that pizza would be there soon.

"Can I ask you something Kelly?" Luis with playing with his fingers, a sign Severide guessed was one of nervousness.

"Sure bud, ask away."

"Is your daddy in heaven?" Severide was taken aback by the question for a second but he was sure the boy needed someone to talk.

"No he's not but he wasn't there when I was growing up. What's really on your mind bud?" He let him take his time to answer and tell him was bothering him, Filippe simply listening to his brother.

"Why did he leave?" Bring curious by nature, he always wanted to know how things worked and he didn't fully understand what was happening in his life.

"He stopped loving my mom so he left us."

"Is that why daddy went in heaven? Because he didn't love mom anymore?"

"Absolutely not. Your daddy was sick but he never stopped loving your mom. My dad left me and my mom for someone else and he started a new family with them."

"Did mom stop loving dad? Is that why she's with Matt?" It was hard for Kelly to understand how a person that small could have so many deep questions going through his mind.

"No. Your mom still loves your dad with all her heart but she was sad when she met Matt and they became friends first because she was thinking about you but your mom is still young and she needs someone else to love but your daddy will always be in her heart, just like he'll always be in yours and she'll always think about him too."

Both Luis and Filippe seemed to be thinking about what Kelly had said, simply nodding their heads as the doorbell rang. Kelly let Shay answer, giving the boys a little more time to process what Kelly had told them but as soon as the girls game running in, each a box of pizza in their hands, they boys began smiling again and they took a seat at the table and Shay worked on the distribution of the pizza. The kids seemed to be very hungry because between all five kids and the two adults, the first large pizza dissapeared within minutes.

All four kids broke into a funny faces contest, making both Kelly and Shay laugh as they ate, Kelly almost choking at one of the faces Filippe had done.

"Alright, who's up for desert?" Severide asked as they finished putting the dinner dishes away. A chorus of me's was shouted through the kitchen, Shay laughing and grabbing glasses to start making desert.

"What are we having?" Emma asked, her eyes shinning in anticipation.

"Rootbeer floats."

"YAY!" Both girls yelled.

"That's right, the best desert EVER." Kelly said, grabbing the ice cream out of the fridge, making them first for the boys, who had never tasted them before. They were each given a straw and a spoon and invited to dive in. Luis was the first to dive in without any thought, Filippe looking at his brother for an initial reaction. After taking the first bite and not having any reaction, as if tasting to make sure it was good, he took his spoon and dug in, putting a bigger bite in his mouth.

"This is the best. Come on Filippe, stop being a scardy cat and dig in." Emma said, her float already half gone. Filippe slowly dipped his spoon in the glass and brought it to his mouth.

"It's really good." He smiled.

"I told you so." Emma poked him, making him laugh. The kids had one each, Kelly and Shay making themselves a bigger version of one before everyone got in their pj's and in their sleeping bags

"Aright, is everyone settled in? They had already picked two movies that all four managed to agree on after a few minutes.

"We're all good uncle Kelly." Grace said from deep inside her purple sleeping bag.

"Alright, let's get this party started." The kids each had their small bowl of popcorn and candies and Kelly turned the light off, making it look like a real movie theater, everyone falling silent as the movie started.

"This was a great idea Kelly." Shay whispered from under her own blanket, sitting next to Kelly who held the bowl of popcorn.

"Yeah it was fun."

"What's up Kelly?" Shay knew when something was on his mind.

"Something Luis said in the kitchen before pizza got here. I don't know if I should mention it to Gabby."

"Something about the move and their dad?"

"Yeah." He looked at both boys who were engrossed in the movie.

"She told me he might say something. Just tell her so she knows what to look for."

"Good idea."

"Alright you goof, let's just the movie." She snuggled closer to his side and they watched Planes, the kids falling one by one of exhaustion.

* * *

Matt and Gabby took care of the boxes of Thai food that were left and settled into the couch to watch a movie.

"How do you think it's going at Shay and Severide?"

"I'm pretty sure that they'd call if something big happened."

"I guess you're right."

"Let's just enjoy this tonight because starting tomorrow, things are going to get crazy around here." Gabby knew Matt was right because they needed to go on the hunt for a new place that would be able to house all of them. The end of the school year was looming and it would be a perfect time for a move, not having to work around more complicated schedules than those of work.

Matt and Gabby fell asleep on the couch while watching their movie, both more exhausted that they had let on. Gabby jumped as her phone and Matt's dinged. She looked at the message from Shay that everything was going smoothly and that everyone was now sleeping.

"Who is it?" Matt asked grogily.

"Shay." She whispered. "Everyone's sleeping, said to have a good night."

"Ok. Why don't we go in bed?" Sure he was comfortable sleeping there with his arms wrapped around her like this but maybe she could be better up there.

"Nah, I like it here." She snuggled back into him as he smiled, both of them falling asleep quickly.

Matt woke up with some light pouring from the kitchen and when they looked at the clock on the dvd player, Matt had to do a double check on his cell phone to make sure that he wasn't imaginating anything.

"What's wrong baby?" Gabby stirred next to him.

"It's ten in the morning." Gabby suddenly shot up next to him.

"Oh my god. This wasn't part of the deal." She ran a hand through her hair. "We said we'd go get them early."

"It's fine." He held his phone for her to read.

"I'm going to have to hug them when we get there." She smiled. Kelly had said to take their time, the kids having eaten pancakes in front of cartoons.

"So that way we can have breakfast quietly together, we can bring some lunch over when we go."

"Sounds like a plan." They took their time to shower and change together, enjoying these few alone moments together before they texted Severide that they'd stop for hot dogs on their way to them, lunch time looming. They drove with their fingers linked together and when Severide opened the door, they were attacked by five sets of arms, Matt nearly toppling over.

"Take it easy guys." He laughed, handing the large bag to Kelly and managing to get out of their grip, Gabby not being so lucky.

"Who wants lunch?" That was enough for all the kids to scatter, leaving Valentina to be lifted by her mother. They settled the kids in the living room to eat, leaving them alone to talk. "So how did it go?" She looked towards the living room.

"It went great but Luis asked a few questions about heaven and love and about the two of you being together and missing his dad.

"I'm sorry you had to be at the other end of that."

"Don't worry about it. My dad might not be dead but Benny didn't make my childhood easy. It's a great kid that had a tough thing happen to him, he'll bounce back."

"Thanks, the two of you."

"You know we love these kids as much as we love Grace and Emma." Shay wrapped her into a tight hug.

"I love you guys too." After they had lunch, they packed everything and headed back home, the next few weeks to be chaotic at best.

* * *

 **a/n: I know this chapter is a little bit shorter than the other ones but I thought it was fitting. I hope you guys liked it and next up, we'll see the kids finish the schhool year while Matt and Gabby start the hunt for a new place to call their own.**

 **Please take a few seconds to review, I always love to know what you guys thought of it :)-Sarra**


	50. Out for the summer

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and the kids names.**

 **a/n: Thank you to everyone who left a review on the last chapter, I really appreciate it. I'm sorry i haven't posted this before and I know I said that it would be long but I really struggled to write this chapter and honestly, I don't think it's my best work but I hope you guys enjoy it anyways.**

* * *

The next weeks following the slumber party at Kelly and Shay's were a bit chaotic. Gabby had been living at Matt's more often now and their set-up was less than ideal but they made it work. On the days that Matt had shift, there was no longer any need to have them babysat at Christie's but they were getting to have another kind of problem.

"Matt, we need to fix this problem."

"What's wrong babe?" He walked out of the bathroom with Valentina after tub time.

"My car isn't big enough anymore."

"Well isn't your mom taking care of Valentina in the mornings?" He set her down and grabbed a sippy cup out of the fridge for her, joining Gabby in the living room while she folded clothes.

"Yes but it's getting complicated for her too. It's out of her way to come all the way here every morning."

"I guess that we should go shop for a new car." He sat next to her and folded all the small pieces of clothing.

"We don't have money for that Matt."

"Well I figured we could trade in yours and maybe get a 7 place SUV or a minivan."

"I hadn't thought about it that way but it could work."

"And I can take a few extra construction jobs to compensate.

"Matt, you shouldn't have to work more so we can manage a new car."

"Gabby, when I asked you to move in with me, I didn't do it so you can keep taking care of everything alone. We're in this together so we share the responsabilities too." Gabby leaned her head against his shoulder.

"I'm sorry." She mumbled. "I'm so used to taking care of everything by myself that its become second nature.

"I don't mind giving you a reminder every once in a while." He poked her sides, elliciting soft giggles to escape her lips.

"You are something else Matt Casey." She smirked.

"And that's why you love me." He gave her his heart melting grin.

"Oh I love you alright." She ran her fingers through his hair and pulled him to her for a kiss. It was innocently sweet at first but Gabby quickly became turned on and deepened it, a moan getting caught in her throat.

"EEEWWWWW." Matt pressed his forehead to Gabby's. "Dad, that's gross. You could at least do that somewhere else."

"Don't tell me, I scarred you for life right?" He peeked behind Gabby to find Grace standing there.

"Duh!" She exclaimed, walking past them to go into the kitchen.

"When did she become miss attitude?" Gabby watched her walk past them, wondering where this was suddenly coming from.

"Oh I wouldn't worry to much about that. They started school. They're bound to pick up some less than acceptable things from there. Just as long as they don't start yelling at us." he chuckled.

"I guess you're right." She kissed him again before they returned to folding some of the kids clothes.

They watched Valentina while she ran around in the living room, laughing. "Maybe she'll tire herself out." He numbed his shoulder against hers.

"Speaking of tiring themselves out. I think it's time to get the kids ready to bath and bed." She raised herself from the couch.

"I'll get them. Why don't you tuck Valentina in?"

"Thanks babe." She kissed him. "Come on little princess." She scooped up a giggling Valentina. "It's time for bed."

Matt smiled at how adorable the two were before he headed to the basement where all four kids were watching a movie. With a little proding and finally using his serious voice, all four kids made their way upstairs to the bathroom. He ran the shower and one after the other, they went in to get cleaned, Gabby helping them with the pj's once they were done. Everyone squeazed into the couch for the customary half an hour of television before teeth brushing and bed, leaving both adults alone.

"I'm exhausted." Gabby said later that night when she and Matt were getting ready for bed.

"You've been taking care of five kids every morning since I asked you to move in with us, I'd be exhausted too." He stood behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Yeah well you're working really hard to save lives." She turned around to face him.

"And I think we make a pretty good team." He leaned down to kiss her.

"I think so too." She pulled away from him to slip under the covers. "So I was thinking." She snuggled into his side as he laid down next to her.

"Uh oh, careful now." He smirked, earning himself a slap on the chest. "Ok, I'm listening." He said more seriously this time.

"We haven't really talked about looking for the new house, what we're looking for."

"I know but we've been really busy. What did you have in mind?" He ran a hand through her hair.

"Well we at least need four rooms on the same floor. It's not as if we can send one of the kids in the basement, they're too young."

"I agree. Maybe we can look for an unfinished basement and I could make two rooms so that when they're older, we'll be able to send which ever two who wants to go down there."

"That could work."

"Now that that's settled, I'll get in touch with my realtor in the morning so we can look to put this house on the market and look for a new one."

"Great idea."

"I told you we were a good team." He positionned himself over her and smiled.

"How about you just show me how good a team we are." She smiled seductively, Matt wasting no time in capturing her lips in a wanting kiss, the two thoroughly enjoying the alone time they were getting right now.

As promised, as soon as Matt had a few minutes between calls the next morning, he made a call to his realtor Nate so he could look up some interesting properties for them. The kids were almost done with school for the summer and both Christie and Gabby's parents had agreed to keep the kids to help them out while they house hunted and planned two sets of birthday parties over the course of the two summer months off school.

A lot of possibilities were offered to them by Nate and they even visited a few of them during their days off shift but nothing seemed to fit the description of what they needed.

"Are we ever going to find a new place?" Gabby was starting to think they'd never find the perfect place.

"This stuff takes time babe." He kissed her kneck while she prepared dinner. "We're a lot of people to fit into one house. If we're patient, the right place will be waiting for us, I promise."

"Don't make promises you can't keep Matt Casey."

"Oh I'll keep that one."

"You better. So I was thinking about summer and birthdays."

"What has your brilliant smile cooked up this time?" He stood next to her and helped her with dinner.

"Since the twins birthdays are not too far apart, I was thinking maybe we could have one giant party outside with some hot-dogs and balloons, maybe a piniata and lots of presents. What do you think?" This idea had been going around in her head for a while now and she was hoping it could all give them a small break from the routine at the same time.

"I think that's a great idea actually. It's been a crazy year for everyone so I think we all deserve it."

"Than it's settled. I'll probably enlist Shay, Christie and Laura to help me out."

"Uh oh. I will let you ladies have all the fun then." He chuckled. Gabby was already a one woman wrecking crew so just imagining all four of them organizing something together, he wouldn't dare to get in their way.

"Your damn right about that. No way I'm letting you close to that party planning." She gave him a sweet bump against his hip. "Hopefully by then we'll have something interresting on the house front."

"Let's take care of the car problem first, what do you say?"

"Good idea."

School was coming to an end and Gabby was glad that they had found a new car to be able to bring all the kids around. They had traded her car for a seven place suv, allowing them to also be able to lug around all their things if they needed too. They still hadn't found anything interresting house wise but with school over in less than two weeks, they had enough to occupy their off days with.

 **Two weeks later - last day of school**

Matt and Gabby were happy to be off on the day the kids were having their last day of kindergarten, making it easier for everyone.

"I was thinking that we could head to the navy pier after we pick up the kids for pizza and ice cream, what do you think?" Matt asked her as they lazied out in the yard, the weather getting warmer as the day went on.

"I think that would be great. It's warm outside and they're done with their first real school year so I think it's a good reason to celebrate."

"We can pack some toys for Valentina and they can stay up later tonight."

"Hhmmmm, I like that." She snuggled into his side on the long chair.

"We're doing good don't you think?"

"I'm glad that I'm in this with you."

"What's on your mind?" Something was off but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"Just that I'm happy. I never thought that I'd find someone that could fill my heart the way Alberto did and I did so I'm just happy."

"I'm happy too and trust me, this is only going to get better." He kissed her hair. They stayed like that until it was time to go pick the kids up, starting with Valentina who mecame giddy as soon as they talked about ice cream, rendering the surprise moot for the four older ones, the happy news slipping out as soon as she saw her brothers.

All five kids had fun at the pier, enjoying pizza and fries before they walked towards the ice cream stands, everyone digesting all the food they had eaten.

"Alright guys so since it was a big day today and the last day of school, what do you guys think of two scoops each?" Matt looked at Gabby with an evil grin, all the kids yelling of happiness.

"You are dealing with all five of them if they become too hyper." She hissed at him, only making him laugh more.

"Promise." He kissed her.

They enjoyed a nice family night together by the pier and enjoyed the beautiful sunset before heading home. It took all the convincing in the world to get the kids in bed and as promised, Matt took care of all of the until they all tired themselves out, Matt included. Gabby took care of bringing the kids to their beds, Matt having fallen asleep on the couch.

* * *

 **a/n: So here it is. Still not impressed with myself on this one but I'll try to do better the next one. So next chapter we'll see them hunt more seriously and we'll get to see the big summer hoopla with the birthday party and all. Please take a few seconds to review even if you don't like it because I'm really not sure about it. - Sarra**


	51. House hunting and parties part 1

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and the kids names.**

 **A/N: First of all I want to thank everyone who read and review this story, I love you guys so much and welcome to all the new readers as well.**

 **I just want to share a few words quick quick. I'm sorry that it's taken so long to post this chapter but I just want to remind people of something. I am a mom of two and I work a 40 hour job (that's when I don't do overtime).** **I LOVE this story and I know that you guys love it as much as I do and I try to update as much as I can so sometimes it gets hard. It's not the only active story I write and although I'd like to be able to write more, I can't. When I have the time, I write as much as I can but I also try to be fair in the way I post and try to post equally between all the stories AND be able to give time to my family.**

 **I wrote an extra long chapter so enjoy.**

* * *

The next couple of weeks following the end of school, Matt and Gabby had finally managed to find a routine about taking care of the kids while they were both on shift, each taking care of all of them when the other wasn't and her parents and Christie picking up the slack for the rest of the time. Gabby had finally given back the keys to her place to her landlord who was surprisingly understanding, both her and Matt seeing no sense in paying for two places if one wasn't used anymore. She put what wasn't useful in a small storage unit until they had found a new place for themselves.

The kids were easily entertained with the park and what not and when it was time for Valentina to nap, Gabby would try to look at properties on her laptop from her spot in the yard, going a bit nuts about the fact that they hadn't found anything by now.

"Are we going to find a new house mama?" Gabby looked up from the page she was looking at to look at Filippe.

"If we can find out that works for all of us yes."

"Can we do our birthday party in the new house?"

"If we can find one, sure baby." He smiled and returned in the yard where the kids were running around, playing tag. "If we find one." She said under her breath. Matt was on shift and she hadn't gotten a call from him in a while, the day starting to advance in time. He would usually give her a call or send her a text to tell her everything was ok but she figured that he was just having a really busy day but she still wished that he would give her a sign of life. She let the kids play while she returned inside, dinner neading to be prepared.

Matt sat in his office after yet another call. He was aware that he hadn't given Gabby any sign of life since starting shift and it was almost four o'clock. He fished his phone out of his pocket and dialed Gabby's familiar number. She didn't even give him time to talk before she did. **Matt, Oh my god you're ok.** It's as if he could picture her from where he was, her phone lodged between her ear and shoulder, no doubt preparing dinner for the kids, he smiled at the thought. "I'm sorry Gabs, it's been one of those crazy days." He sighed, the calls were difficult but her voice making it all better. **You know I'm here if you need to talk Matt, don't keep it in.** "We got a tough call this morning but I'll tell you more about it in the morning. How are the kids? **Playing in the yard, I'm preparing dinner.** "Tell them if they behave, I'll bring them to breakfast after shift," **Are you sure you're ok?** "Yeah I'm fine. I just can't wait to see you and the kids." He looked at his phone as it beeped, seeing it was Nate calling. "I got to go Gabby, Nate is calling on the other line." **Alright I love you, stay safe.** "I will. I love you too." He hung up and picked Nate's call "Please tell me you have good news Nate." **Well I'll let you be the judge of that. Now this house is exactly what you're looking for but it needs a bit of TLC and it just went on the market. I'll send you some pictures and get back to me as soon as you can.** "Thanks a lot Nate, I'll be waiting for those pictures." He hung up, needing to get back to the report on his desk in case another call came in. He looked up when his phone signaled that he had recieved an email and left it there until he had given his report in to Boden.

Once he sat back down in his office, he opened his e-mail and looked at the pictures and he knew that Nate was right about this one but just as he was about to send Gabby a text, the bells rang, calling them to a fire in the industrial part of town and he just knew that it would be a big one, they always were. Matt was grateful when they returned later that night to a quiet firehouse, long blissful hours of sleep waiting for them.

He woke up with his alarm and a text from Gabby saying that she missed him and that she couldn't wait for him to return and he smiled, wondering how lucky he had gotten to have her in his life.

"That smile can only mean one thing." He looked up to see Kelly in the doorway of his office, surprised that Kelly was up before him. "You got a dirty text from your girl."

"Nope, not dirty." He threw his phone at Kelly for him to read. "I just don't know how I got so damn lucky."

"Maybe because it was meant to be."

"I don't know about meant to be but I always felt like our paths were meant to cross, specially after the last few years." He shook his head. "Enough with the cheesy stuff. I'm going to grab my things and I'm going to bring Gabby and the kids out for breakfast."

"Sounds like a solid plan. How about house hunting? How's that going?"

"Nate sent me some pics and some specs yesterday but I need to talk about it to Gabby but I have a good feeling about this, just don't want to jinx it you know."

"I totally get that but remember, I'm here if you need anything."

"Thanks Sev." He patted his shoulder with a smile, walking away from him and out the doors of 51. He drove back home with a smile plastered on his face and as soon as he parked his truck and got out, he could already hear the kids getting all excited on the other side of the door. "Be quiet, you're going to wake up the neighbours." He called loudly from the door, all three girls rushing to him.

"Daddy." Grace smiled, Matt scooping her up in his arms. "We were waiting for you dad."

"Is that so?" He navigated around the kids to give Gabby a pec on the lips.

"Yeah. Gabby said that if we were nice that you'd take us all out to breakfast. Is that true?"

"Sure is." He grinned. "How about you guys get your shoes on while I talk with Gabby for a few minutes and then we can leave. How does that sound?"

"Yay." He set her down and the kids scrambled to get their shoes on.

"Hey, what's up?"

"It's actually about a house."

"He found one?" She walked with him into the kitchen.

"Actually he did and this is what it looks like." He handed her the phone so she could browse through the pictures. Gabby silently scrolled through the pictures, Matt looking as her face changed.

"But Matt." She finally looked at him.

"I know what you're going to say Gabby. It needs work but I can cut back completely on construction jobs for a while and I can concentrate on fixing it up for us. Plus, Nate said that it just went on so we could get it for less since there's so many things that need to be done on the house. It would be perfect and we could grow old in it." She looked at him with a smirk.

"Who says I want to grow old with you?" She teased him.

"You evil woman." He attacked her sides, almost making her drop the phone as it started ringing.

"It's Nate." She handed him the phone.

"Hey Nate, what's up?" **Did you talk to Gabby about the house?** "I just did but we haven't really talked about it yet." **Ok well I just spoke with the person in charge of the property and they'd be willing to show you guys the house this morning.** "This morning? Wow, that soon? Let me just run this by Gabby." He covered the phone with his hand and whispered. "Nate says that we could visit the house this morning."

"Matt. This is a big decision."

"I know Gabby but we could bring the kids and just go take a look. What do you think?" Gabby closed her eyes to concentrate, this was going very quickly.

"Fine but we're not telling the kids until after breakfast."

"I love you." He smiled at her.

"You better." She smirked.

"Ok Nate. We're bringing the kids for breakfast and we could be there in two hours. That good?" He heard Nate talk with someone on the other end. **That's perfect Matt, we'll be waiting for you.** "Thanks Nate." He hung up the phone and he and Gabby went to the living room where all the kids were waiting for their parents to be ready. After getting everyone ready and in the truck, Matt drove to their favourite diner where they managed to find a booth big enough to fit everyone. The waitress came with menus and all four kids were bickering about who would take what, all of the leaning across the table looking over their menus. "Alright kids, that's enough." Matt called them to order knowing they didn't have any time to waste in this place like they usually did.

"But Matt, I don't know what to chose." Luis whined.

"Well you guys need to hurry up and decide because we are going to visit a house after we finish eating." All five kids cheered.

"Does that mean that we'll get to do our birthday parties in the new house?" Filippe asked excitedly.

"We need to check it out first buddy but fingers crossed." He smiled at him. They finally managed to order quickly and they enjoyed a nice family breakfast, one Matt was grateful for after the last shift.

"Hey, you ok?" Gabby asked when all five kids were strapped in the car.

"We can talk about it later. I'm just happy to be with you guys." He leaned down and kissed her before walking to the driver's side, Gabby eyes following him until he was in the truck himself She'd have to get him to talk later, now she was hoping this house was going to pan out. She hopped in and they were on their way to the address Nate had texted Matt. Matt looked at the house as he drove up the path and he couldn't help but smile. "Wow, Nate was right, this house is perfect." It was a nice two story house made of brown bricks with a very nice porch on the front and a gate surrounding the property.

"Don't get too excited Matt." Gabby knew he was right but she didn't want to get her hoped up and be disappointed in what they'd be shown.

"Do you think we could have a tree house in the yard?" Emma asked from where she had her nose stuck to the car window.

"Gabby's right, let's not get too excited." He looked at her with a smile but deep down he was hoping for this house to be the perfect one for them.

"Gabby, Matt, I'm glad you guys could make it." He shook both their hands as they got everyone out of the truck. "Hey kids, how about we go have a look inside?" All five of them cheered and Nate unlocked the door for everyone to come and have a look. The entryway was big enough to fit everyone, something that Gabby liked because it would always get crazy there in the morning when it was time to get everyone ready for school. On the left, there was the stairs that led to the top floor of the house. They started by taking a tour of the main floor where they found a spacious living room and kitchen combination, a little bit like what they could already find at Matt's house but there was also a medium size room on the right, one Nate said could be either a guest room or an entertainment room for the kids while food was being prepared and of course, there was a small powder room.

"Nate." Gabby looked around and right now, all she could see were things that needed to be done.

"I know what you're going to say Gabby but I know Matt and he'll be able to do something really great in here."

"I'm trying to keep an open mind." The kids had gone wandering off with a promise from Nate that nothing dangerous was waiting for them around any corner.

"It's easy work Gabs. And think of all the great food you could do in here." He placed his hands on her hips from behind and he knew that he was winning her over.

"Let's see more house then." He took them to the back to see the yard. Now it wasn't huge but there was a nice mature tree in the back, no doubt the one Emma had spotted from the back of the truck when she spoke of a tree house.

"I can definitely build a tree house in that." He pointed to the tree, Gabby smiling at his eagerness.

"How many rooms is there?" That was what was most important to Gabby. They needed to have enough rooms to fit everyone in.

"More than enough I promise you. Let's go take a look." He led the couple to the second floor first door on the right was the first room. It was big enough to be either the boys or the girls room. Then the next one was a bit smaller, for Valentina obviously. Then the first on the left was somewhere between the two first rooms in size, most probably for the boys, giving Matt a room project that he could maybe do with them, on condition that this was the house for them. Next up on the left was the bathroom. It was a bath and shower combination with a two sink vanity. It wasn't huge but it did have some work to do. Then at the very end was the master bedroom. It was rather large with big windows giving them an amazing view of the yard. "And I'm pretty sure that you'll like this Gabby." He opened the door to reveal a master en-suite. It wasn't a palace but there was enough space in there for a very old, very rusty soaker tub and a shower plus a single sink vanity but there was enough storage to compensate for that.

"Ok so totally open mind here." Gabby looked at Matt. "But there's no way we can move into this place right away and we can't pay for two houses Matt."

"The house is almost paid for Gabby." This was the kind of thing that they hadn't really discussed and one that they'd eventually have to address but Matt had gotten the house cheap because there had been so many things to do in it and the money that he was making doing construction had always gone towards making extra payments, his firefighter salary enough to pay for everything else for them. "So we don't have to sell it right away."

"You never told me that before."

"It never came up." He smiled back at her.

"Plus, we can get them owners to lower their asking price because there is so much work that needs to be put in this house for you guys to be able to live in it."

"And what about the basement?"

"Basement is unfinished. It's mostly storage. It's an old married couple who never had kids so they never found any real use to finish the basement. They just can't keep up with the upkeep anymore."

"What do you think Gabby? This could be an amazing new adventure."

"Can we get this house mom?" Luis and the rest of the kids made it to the adults on the upper floor, all of them really excited. They were all hopeful and smiling.

"How about you guys go play a game of hide and seek in the yard and mommy and Matt can talk to Nate a little bit more." The kids all ran down the stairs, Valentina taking up the rear while Matt, Gabby and Nate went back into the kitchen to talk numbers and timeline.

"If you guys tell me that you're interested, I can give my contact Marcus a call. What do you guys say?" Nate picked up his phone that was ringing and went into the next room.

"What do you think?" Matt knew Gabby was a little bit skeptical about this place.

"The house has everything we're looking for Matt but you're the one who's going to have to put in the work for this house to look good."

"Like I said, we don't have to sell the house right away so we could do one room at a time."

"What about the kids birthdays?"

"We could just fix up the kitchen and the yard, the rest can wait. You saw how excited they were when they asked you if we could make their birthday parties in the new house if we found one."

"We made a decision then?" She pulled him to her by his shirt and kissed him."

"I think we did." He kissed her back as Nate hung up and returned to them.

"Ok so that was Marcus." Both Matt and Gabby looked at each other.

"Is it bad news?" Now that Gabby had made the decision with Matt, all she could see now is everything going down the drain.

"No. Marcus was calling me to say that he spoke with the owners about us and they aren't interested in dragging this process any longer than it needs to be and they know that the house needs a lot of work and he spoke with them about it and that is their final asking price." He slid his phone to them on the kitchen counter where Matt looked at the number written in the text message in front of him. He had to blink a few times to make sure he was really seeing what was written on the screen.

"Wow Nate."

"What is it Matt?" Gabby asked, not understanding what his reaction to the price meant.

"We'd be crazy not to take that deal baby."

"Really?" She knew nothing about the housing market really but she trusted Matt and if he said that it was a good deal than she believed him.

"Yeah."

"Perfect, I'll go give Marcus a call and I will be back." Nate disappeared again in the other room only to return a few short minutes later. "Congratulations, you guys just became new house owners." He grinned, shaking both their hands.

"Thanks for everything Nate." Matt held his hand a little longer.

"I'm always there for you Matt. It's nice doing business with you as always. So I'll go back to the office and draw up the paperwork and then we will make everything official. The kids came running back no longer after so Matt and Gabby got them all seated in the truck, mutually agreeing to wait to tell them about the news until everything was signed and official. When they returned to the house, they were so caught up in getting everyone ready for lunch and the rest of their day that the dark cloud that was over Matt's head after shift was already starting to clear.

In the next few days, Matt and Gabby returned to their routine of work and summer. They went to Nate's office to sign the paperwork for the house and scheduled an appointment with a notary to get everything done and what needed to be paid, paid before they invited a few people over one night to tell them the great news. Shay, Severide with Christie and Violet along with Antonio and Laura were there without the slightest clue what was going on. They decided that they'd tell the kids at the same time because they knew that if they already knew that it wouldn't be a surprise for the adults.

"Ok so what is so important that you guys had to drag us all the way here for?" Antonio teased them. It was very rare that everyone was at the same place at the same time and now they were all gathered in the yard.

"We have an announcement to make."

"Oh my God YOU'RE PREGNANT!" Shay exclaimed, getting everyone pumped up.

"What? NO!" Gabby yelled.

"It's nothing like that. After Gabby said yes to moving in with me, we decided to started looking for a bigger house because it is getting extra cramped in here. So we just wanted you guys to know that we found a house and we just signed the papers this morning."

"I knew it." Severide was the first to hug Matt tightly to congratulate him. "I knew it was done the moment I saw your goofy grin in the firehouse yesterday."

"That obvious huh?"

"Oh yeah. Oh and by the way Shay, you own me twenty." Shay rolled her eyes and slapped a twenty dollar bill in his hand.

"What's that all about?" Gabby asked from her spot in her brother's arms after a hug.

"We had a bet going on about what we were here for. I said it was a house and she said you were pregnant." Everyone laughed, Shay a light shade of pink. The kids were now bouncing around all the adults, excitement getting over them too. They were already arguing about who would get what room and what colour they would paint it, all the adults smiling at how excited the kids were.

In the following days, Nate gave them the keys to the house so they could get some work started. The house ways already empty, the previous owners had already moved out to go live in a home a few days back. Both Severide and Antonio were excited for the couple but Matt hadn't told them in what state the house was in so one afternoon while the boys were off, both Kelly and Shay along with Antonio met up with Matt and Gabby at the new house so they could work what needed to be done for the kids birthday party.

"The house looks great Gabs." Antonio looked up at the exterior, both Matt and Gabby exchanging a look.

"What's that look for?" Severide eyed Matt suspiciously.

"Nothing."

"Don't nothing me Casey, I know that look."

"We'll let you guys see for yourselves." Matt unlocked the front door and let everyone in."

"Damn Matt, what is this house?" Kelly walked in farther, taking in the interior.

"An old couple lived here. They couldn't take care of it anymore. That's why we got it so cheap."

"I'd say. You guys are nuts." Antonio added. "How the hell are you guys going to move in here with the place looking like this?" He pointed at the inside of the house.

"I am going to work in the house while we still live in the old house until we're ready to move in here and sell the other one." Matt didn't elaborate about owning two houses and Antonio didn't ask, trusting Matt enough to know what he was doing. "We promised the kids that we'd have their birthday party here so I figured that doing the kitchen and the yard first is the priority."

"I said I'd help so I'm in." Severide patted Matt on the shoulder.

"I'm in too." Antonio shook Matt's hand.

"And what do you think about getting your hands dirty with me Shay?" Gabby needed a hand with the back yard.

"I'm in."

"And you should call Laura and ask her, she's great at that stuff." Antonio added.

"Perfect, thank you so much guys." They didn't stay there very long because all five kids were with Gabby's parents and they didn't want to leave them there too long.

In the next couple of weeks, everyone used their free time to help Matt and Gabby out at the new house to get the kitchen and the yard ready for the kids big day. They had to convince the kids that they couldn't tag along because they wanted it to be a surprise for them. Matt and Gabby went to the house on the Friday before the party to finish everything up. The front of the house still looked like it was straight from a horror movie but as soon as they moved into the living room area, they could see the brand new kitchen. The kitchen cabinets were a golden brown colour and the counters a white quartz, an easily cleanable, kid friendly choice. They bought a double door fridge with the freezer at the bottom so they could keep up with their growing kids appetites. They stepped into the yard and Matt wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

"You did an amazing job out here babe." The high weeds had been replaced by nice, short grass. Matt had built a small sandbox for the kids to enjoy, the treehouse would have to wait.

"I had a lot of help." Laura had given a hand for the flowerbeds, giving Gabby some easy tips to make everything look great. They had set up some tables and chairs for everyone to sit for lunch, burgers and hot-dogs on the menu.

"The kids will love it." There were some paper lanterns as well and some toys that both adults and kids would be able to enjoy together. They stayed a little bit longer to clean up the room next to the living room so they could put a little mattress for Valentina to take a nap in the afternoon. When they got back home, all the kids were asleep and Kelly and Christie were lying down on the couch, Kelly's arms protectively around his sister's frame.

"Look how cute they are." Gabby whispered.

"I never thought I'd say this but I'm happy for them and he's good to her."

"That's all you can ask for." They woke the couple up and thanked them before they left and they were left to head to bed themselves.

"Excited about tomorrow?" He kissed her hair as he pulled her closer to him.

"Yeah, I can't wait to see the look on their faces when they see everyone in the yard."

"Six. I can't believe they are turning six soon." Matt sighed. Their real birthdays were later after the party but this was the best time to celebrate it with everyone.

"They are growing up so fast." She snuggled closer into him, burying her face in his chest.

"Hey, it's ok." He made her look up at him, tears welling in her eyes.

"It's just they're growing up so fast and he's missing it all."

"He sees you from up there and he's proud of the four of you." He whispered, kissing her forehead. He pulled her closer to him and they cuddled in silence until they both fell asleep.

The next morning, they got everyone dressed and fed while Shay and Severide were putting the finishing touches at the other house and greeting guests. Adults were starting to arrive and so were kids from school the whole yard bustling with happy people. Kelly texted Matt once everyone had arrived so they could start making their way here.

Once the kids had quieted down after Matt received Kelly's text, they were forced into the car and then blindfolded, Gabby snickering at the sight of all five kids in the back of the truck. They drove the short distance to the house and when they got out, they guided the kids towards the back yard where it was now extremely quiet. Once they were in and the gate closed, they put them one next to the other.

"Ok, you guys can take them off." They took it off pretty much at the same time.

"SURPRISE!" Everyone screamed. The yard was filled with all their friends and loved ones.

 **TBC**

* * *

 **a/n: Oh dear. This was a long one and I think it was getting out of hand so I decided to cut it and make it into a two part. They finally found a house that they like but it had a lot of work to do so it'll give me some nice material to write about.**

 **I hope you guys liked it and please take a few minutes to leave a review, I always love to read what you guys think of it. Love - Sarra**


	52. House hunting and parties pt 2

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and the kids names.**

 **A/n: Thank you to everyone who reviewed last chapter and welcome to the new readers and followers. So as promised, here is the part 2 of the party.**

* * *

The kids immediately ran towards their waiting friends from school and both Matt and Gabby made their way through the crowd to say hi to everyone. Once everyone started mingling, Gabby and Matt made their way to one of the only parts of the house that was actually usable to start getting appitizers ready for everyone.

"This is going to be so much fun." She looked through the kitchen window to see the kids running around in the yard and through all the adults.

"I'm excited to get started on the house. I promise it'll be great."

"I can't wait to see that." Matt turned at the voice of his father-in-law and smiled.

"Give me the tour?" Both Gabby and Matt knew of the motives behind that request but neither of them questioned it.

"You'll be ok in here babe?"

"I'm good." She smiled at them. "I'll call Shay and Laura if I need any help." He kissed her tenderly before he left with her father. Gabby chuckled, full well knowing what her dad was going to do.

"So this house needs a lot of work done." He casually asked as they went up the stairs to the second floor.

"I know but I'll do all of it. The house was perfect, we couldn't pass that up."

"And where will you live in the meanwhile?" The news was so new and apart from making the kitchen and fixing the yard, they hadn'T told anyone else about the house but Matt suspected that Antonio had said something to his father for them to be here like they were.

"I haven't put my house for sale yet so we'll be living there until it's finished here."

"And don't you think it's risky to have two mortgages at the same time?"

"Actually, my house is pretty much all paid for." And to that admission, Edouardo Dawson was surprised but Matt kept talking. "I spent many years when I started in the CFD in tiny appartments, putting all the money I could aside so when I bought the house, a big part of it was paid for already and since there was a lot of things to fix up in it, I got it for less than the asking price."

"That was a smart move."

"Thanks. I never would have picked this house if I knew I couldn't make it the perfect home for us." He showed him the master bedroom first and then the girls room, keeping the rooms for Valentina, Filippe and Luis for last. "Gabby was looking to buy a big girl bed for Valentina and I was thinking about doing a princess theme for her and I haven't talked to Gabby about this yet but I was thinking of maybe doing a bunk bed for the boys, maybe let them help me out with it, make it a boys only project." They now stood in the last room, the one for the boys.

"I think that's a wonderful idea Matt and all of this is great but where do you see your relationship with Gabby going?"

"I want to marry your daugther Mr. Dawson but I know she's not ready for that yet so I won't to push her."

"You've given her a new outlook on life and I haven't seen her this happy since Alberto so you have my blessing when the two of you are ready for that next step." He shook his hand with a smile.

"Thank you sir." They spoke a little while longer upstairs before they went back down to join the rest of the party downstairs. Gabby was once again in the kitchen with her mother, fixing up plates of vegetables and fruits. "Do you ladies need any help?" Matt kissed Gabby's cheek, his hand lingering on her lower back.

"Still alive I see." Esmeralda eyed Matt with a smirk.

"Looks like it. Do you want me to bring those out?"

"Thanks babe." They gave him the two platters and he was out the door, leaving her with both her parents.

"Please tell me you weren't too hard on him dad."

"I like Matt honey, he's great with you and the kids." She knew that but she always hated to see her father take Matt aside like that.

"I know this house needs a lot of work dad but look what Matt did with this kitchen." Gabby had all the prep space she could ask for and Matt had let her choose the appliances being the cook that she is.

"He did do a wonderful job." Esmeralda admitted.

"And I know we'll be happy here dad."

"That's all I want for you baby, is for you to be happy and I know Matt is the right man to do that." He kissed her forehead and smiled at his youngest.

"What's that smile for dad?" Gabby eyed him suspiciously.

"Can't a father be happy for his daughter?" He defended himself.

"I'm watching you dad." She smirked before she went outside to join Matt and everyone else.

"What was that all about Edouardo?" Gabby's mom was putting the finishing touches to the fruit platter before she turned and faced her husband. "And don't try lying to me, you're terrible at it."

Edouardo looked around to make sure no one could hear him. "I just asked Matt what his intentions were and he might have said something about wanting to marry our daughter."

"That's wonderful but do you really think she's ready for that? So soon after loosing Alberto?" She looked back into the yard where she could see her grandkids and Matt's daughters run after each other.

"I don't." He started, looking on in the yard just like his wife. "And neither does Matt but I gave him our blessing for when they're both ready." He wrapped an arm around his wife.

"I love you." She smiled up at him.

"And I love you too." They shared a kiss before joining the rest of the people in the yard to celebrate their grandkids birthday.

Matt was handling the grill with Kelly while Gabby made her way around their friends to make sure everyone had what they needed and that they'd never run out of drinks.

"This is a great party Matt." Kelly handed him a beer.

"We promised the kids we'd do their party in the new house if we found it in time and with the way things were gearing up, I never thought we'd find one in time."

"But you did and once it's done, it's going to be amazing and you and Gabby can grow old in here."

"That's the plan." He smiled as he looked at Gabby and Shay run after the kids. "What about you? What's going on with you and Christie?"

"She asked me to move in with her and Violet but I don't know Matt."

"How come you didn't tell me this before?" Christie hadn't said a word about it either the last time they had seen each other.

"I wanted to, a few times actually but I didn't know how to tell you." Matt knew this couldn't be easy for him, specially since he had never really had this stable of a relationship before.

"What's keeping you from saying yes?"

"Violet."

"She likes you, I don't see what the problem is."

"I guess I'm just scared that things will change once I move in with them. I'm scared to screw it up."

"I've known you a long time Kelly and I've seen you go through a million one night stands and then Renée, and the other Renée but I've never seen you in a better place than since you started dating my sister. And she's been more happy with you than I ever saw her be happy with Jim so I just say; jump in with both feet and you'll be just fine." He patted him on the shoulder, taking another pull of his beer.

Kelly looked at Christie as she was now talking with Gabby and Shay, the three of them laughing together. "Maybe you're right."

"I know I'm right." He smirked. "Just man up." He removed the burgers and the hot-dogs from the grill, leaving Severide alone with his thoughts as he called everyone else to show. Once people started to eat, that's when Matt gave himself the opportunity to go spend some time with Gabby and the kids.

The girls cleaned everything up while Christie and Laura came out with the fruit platters Gabby and her mother had prepared. Matt and Kelly took the opportunity to go get the piniata's out and installed so the kids could digest their lunch while they hit on the candy filled piniata's.

"Who's ready for some candies?" Matt called, two colourful sticks in his hand. All the kids became excited and he handed one to Grace and the other one to Filippe, their twin waiting for their turn. Kelly and Shay were each holding one of the piniata's up. Filippe's first hit made more dammage than Grace's but once she took a second one, it did what it was supposed to, make a small hole in the side so when Emma gave it a swing, the hole became bigger. Luis did as good as a job as his brother but with a little help from Shay who was making it a bit harder or the boys to reach it, the both piniata's were smashed open at the same time, making candies and toys appear to be falling from the sky, all the kids running in every direction to grab as many as they could, the adults laughing as they did.

Once all the candies were now collected and put aside, Matt and Gabby returned to the kitchen with Shay and Laura to get the cakes ready. Gabby's parents were getting all the kids situated at a big table, all four kids in the center, all of them excited to get the cake.

"Those cakes are amazing Laura. Thanks again for making them." Matt smiled at his possible sister-in-law as he opened the cakes to reveal one with Charlie Brown and Snoopy and the other one with Olaf and Elsa from Frozen.

"It's my pleasure. Grace and Emma are like family so they get the same privileges. Gabby open the boys cakes, tell me if you think they'll like them."

"Oh they'll love them Laur." Gabby opened the first box to reveal a spiderman cake for Luis and a a Ninja Turtle one for Filippe.

"There should be enough cake to go around."

"I'd say." Matt laughed as he looked at all four cakes before they put the candles in and lit them up. "You guys ready?" Everyone took a cake and as soon as they made it outside, everyone started singing happy birthday to the twins. Matt noticed Valentina was comfortably seated on Kelly's lap, her little hands clapping along to the birthday song.

"Make a wish." Gabby whispered as the four cakes were set in front of all four excited kids. Both girls closed their eyes before reopening them and all four blew their candles at the same time, everyone clapping. Once Laura and Gabby had cut all the cakes in pieces for everyone, the kids insisted on helping them out with the distribution.

The gifts were already set on two different tables and in four different piles so that they could keep track of what gift needed to be given to who and once all the kids were done eating their cake, Gabby cleared everything out to make some place for the present giving ritual part of the day.

"Ok so we'll give out the presents and then you guys will be able to go say thank you ok?" All four kids nodded, Gabby giving Matt the signal to start giving the presents away.

Once the mountain of presents were opened and placed in four different piles again, all four kids made a thank you round and slowly some people started to leave, the party coming to an end. Antonio and Laura offered to drop some of the presents off at the old house while the kids had a little more fun together in the yard. They managed to pack everything in the car and with Gabby's key, they were off to unload some stuff off Gabby and Matt's plate for the day.

They returned a bit later to pick up Diego and Eva. "Thanks again for all the help and thanks for the cakes Laura." Matt hugged her and shook Antonio's hand.

"Anytime." Antonio smiled before they left, leaving Matt and Gabby with her parents and Shay, Kelly, Christie and Violet.

"Thanks again for all of your help today and for helping me get the kitchen and the yard ready for today."

"We're always there for you Casey." Severide pulled him in a hug before Shay could even get to him.

"And man up." Matt whispered to Kelly and smiled at his sister. They pulled away from each other and Matt pulled his sister in for a hug. "Thanks Chris, it means the world that you're always there for me."

"You're my little brother, of course I'm there for you. And I would do anything for my two favourite nieces."

"We're your only nieces." Grace yelled, making all the adults laugh.

The kids said thank you again before they left, only Edouardo and Esmeralda left now. "Do you want us to drop the kids off at the house while the two of you finish cleaning this place up?" Esmeralda offered.

"You would do that mom?"

"That would be great." Matt echoed Gabby's thoughts.

"Alright kids, we're bringing you home and we're having pizza for dinner." Edouardo smirked knowing how excited the kids would become.

"YAYYYY!" They yelled, both grand parents rounding them and their things up.

"Let's go so mom and Matt can clean this place up." Esmeralda picked Valentina in her arms.

"Thank you again for bringing the kids back home."

"You're welcome. We'll see you at the house." Gabby hugged her dad and gave him the keys to the truck in exchange for those of his own car and all five kids with her parents were on their way, leaving Matt and Gabby alone.

"This was exciting."Matt pulled her to him.

"And exhausting." She laughed.

"But I wouldn't have it any other way." He kissed her forehead. They were lucy the yard wasn't too full of things that eeded to be cleared out since they had done it as soon as something was finished in the afternoon but when they made it to the kitchen, there was a lot of things to get cleaned up and sorted out so Gabby got a move on the dishes while Matt took care of putting the rest of the things in the cupboards.

"What did your dad have to say when you guys went upstairs?"

"I just showed him around the house and what I was planning on getting done up there." That wasn't all they had talked about but he wasn't about to share that with her.

"And what are you planning to do up there." She asked as she put the last service plate in the drying rack.

"I know we haven't really talked about it much yet but I had an idea for the boys room and I want to know what you think about it."

"I'm listening." She smiled as he trapped between his arms against the kitchen counter.

"Well since the rooms aren't huge rooms and the boys room is one of the two smallest, I was thinking of building them a bunk bed and we could get two chests in there for their clothes."

"I think the boys would love that Matt." She smiled at him, putting her arms around his neck.

"Actually I was thinking that they could help me out in there, make it a boys only special project, if that's ok with you." He added.

"You are a wonderful man Matt Casey and I love you for it. The boys will be over the moon to do that with you. How did I ever get so damn lucky?"

"I was asking myself the same thing." He lifted her up to sit her on the counter and made the space between them disappear, their bodies inches from each other's.

"I can't believe we bought a new house but I'm so excited now and I can't wait to start forever in here with you." She kissed him.

"I love how forever sounds." He smiled, pressing his lips to hers as they made out in the middle of the kitchen.

* * *

 **a/n: Tah dah. I hope you guys liked it and please take a few minutes to review before you go, I always like to know what you guys think - Sarra**


	53. Late nights and take-out

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and the kids names.**

 **a/n: Thank you so much to everyone who has reviewed the last chapter and as always, welcome to the new readers and those who favourited this story. I never imagined that this story would get this kind of response and it blows my mind to see how much you guys love it so I decided to update it first before my other ones. Enjoy.**

* * *

Matt and Gabby were happy that the twin's party was a success and a new routines settled itself again as Matt worked every hour he could on the new house to make it livable for everyone. Matt worked on getting the bathroom upstairs done first with a friend who was a plumber so the shower was usable for him every time he had to work in the house late, which happened more often as the project took shape. Gabby walked in one evening to find Matt on his knees working on the floor to the living room.

"Hey, how's everything going along?" He looked up at her and rocked his body against his heels.

"They are going along great actually. The soaker tub arrived a few hours back and Tyler helped me set it up before we called it a night. He's supposed to come help me with the powder room tomorrow morning."

"Wow that's great. Did you touch anything on the rooms upstairs?"

"Not really. I figured I'd finish one section of the house at a time."

"Good idea." She leaned down to kiss him.

"Where are the kids?" He was actually surprised that they weren't there with her.

"They are with Christie and Kelly for dinner so we could have a little bit of alone time."

"I like the sound of that." He put his tools down and got up, heading for the kitchen with her.

"So what's in the bag?"

"Thaï."

"Perfect." He washed his hands and face before joining her at the table.

"Are you going to be home late tonight?" She digged into her box.

"I'm just finishing up the floor in the living room and I should be back home in time for bath time."

"Great because I miss you."

"I know babe. I'm just trying to finish this house as soon as possible."

"You don't need to finish it into exhaustion though."

"You're tired of taking care of all five by yourself huh?"

"I might have lost patience qui Grace, sorry."

"I'll have a talk with them tonight and I promise I'll cut back here." It was true that he was here on most of his days off, leaving Gabby to fend for herself and five rampbuncious kids on top of the shifts she was doing at the hospital as well.

"You said it yourself, we don't have to rush to move into this house."

"I remember that yes."

"Than if you remember that, remember that if you help me with all the chaos, there could be some nice rewarding moments for you too." She winked at him.

"You drive a very hard bargain Gabriella Dawson." He leaned over the table and kissed her. They finished eating and Gabby left so Matt could finish the floor so he could come home quickly. He turned the lights off and locked behind him before driving from the new house to the one they were still living in. He walked in to hear some voices bickering in the kitchen. He followed them to find Grace and Luis arguying about toys. "What's going on here?" It was rare that he used this tone of voice with the kids but he knew for a fact that Gabby was with Valentina upstairs for her bath.

"He stole the game I was playing with."

"That's not true, it was just lying there so I took it. You're the one who ripped it out of my hands."

"Ok I've heard enough from the two of you. What you guys did wasn't nice so an apology and I want the two of you to think about it for ten minutes in the couch and I don't want you to move from there until I say so. The apologies were mumbled but Matt watched as the two of them took opposite sides of the couch before going up the stairs where he found the two other kids in a room playing quietly. "Hey." He poked his head in the bathroom.

"Hey. Thanks for taking care of those two. They've been driving me nuts since they came back from your sister's house.

"Sorry for leaving you so often with them."

"It's fine as long as you give me a nice long back rub later."

"Absolutely." He watched as Gabby finished washing Valentina and took her out of the tub to put her in her pj's. He fixed the tub for the girls first and called them both to get cleaned up, leaving to go be with Gabby a little bit, the girls being able to clean themselves now.

"What was that fight about?"

"Toy sharing. I'll talk to all of them together before they go to bed."

"Thanks babe." When all the baths were finished, all four older kids went into the kitchen for a snack so Matt waited to have all four of them comfortably sitting at the table to talk to them.

"I think we need to have a little talk." All four sets of eyes looked at him while he was leaning against the counter, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Is it about the new house?" Grace asked excitedly.

"No it isn't." Grace's back immediatly straightened at the slight change of tone in his dad's voice. "We need to talk about what happens when I'm not home." Grace immediatly knew he was going to talk about her fight with Luis. Matt waited until Gabby was back and that he was sure that he had all four kids's attention. "I know that everyone is excited about the new house but we need to fix the new house first before we can live in it so that's why a lot of the time I'm not home." He made sure they understood every word. "So while I'm not there, Gabby is in charge so that means you listen to her at all times. She has five of you to take care of and Valentina is still small so I need the four of you to act like grown ups and not make life hell for her is that clear?"

"Yes." All four said together. Matt could see that he had gotten through to them.

"Now finish your snack and then teeth brushing and time for bed." Gabby finished cleaning the kitchen with Matt's help as the kids finished eating and brushing their teeth. It didn't take that long for all four of them to be sleeping, leaving both adults to enjoy some quiet time with soft music and wine.

"Thanks again for the pep talk with the kids. I don't know if I would have had the energy to do it."

"We're a team, well when I don't leave you alone with the five of them."

"It's fine, you're working hard to get the house ready for us to move into it."

"We said we didn't have to rush it and that's what I'm doing."

"I know you're going that because you want us to be comfortable and it's starting to be a tight fit for us here."

"I'll ask the guys for some help, try to get this moving quickly."

"And I've seen 51 work together, I have faith in you."

"Thanks babe. I'll try to finish it all before the end of summer."

"Don't tire yourself too much, Chicago needs you with your head in the game, I need you with your head in the game." She whispered, her eyes closing as Matt pressed his thumbs in her shoulderblades.

"Oh my head is in the game." He whispered, his lips finding their way to her neck and his fingers finding a knot on the right side of her back.

"Thank god I have a day off tomorrow."

"How come?"

"There's no way I'll be able to get up when you're done with me." His hands were making wonders on her and the tension of the last few days were starting to fall off her shoulders.

"You deserve it. We should get away when everything is over with, just you and me." He said out of the blue.

"What do you have in mind?"

"I don't know, something fun. No kids, no responsabilities."

"I like that." She mumbled, Matt clearly making her melt under his touch.

"How about we call it a night?" Matt was off for 48h and he wanted to be able to spend some time with Gabby close to him, Matt having to go work in the new house again in the morning to finish the surprise he was working on.

"I think it's going to be a good night." She got up and kissed him. They put the wine away and headed for bed, the two of them falling asleep quickly.

Matt woke up to a quiet house. He quickly got up and kissed Gabby before going downstairs and leaving her a note on the kitchen table, heading to the house to get a move on. It was barely eight and he was expecting a delivery between eight and noon and he didn't want to miss it. One of the reasons why he hadn't finished the living room floor the night before was that he had done the one in their room first so it would be ready when the truck got there. He started working on the livingroom floor again when Kelly arrived.

"What's delivery's ETA?" He handed Matt a coffee.

"Between now and noon. I'm trying to get everything done as soon as possible."

"You look tired man."

"Please don't remind me."

"I'm pretty sure Boden will if you're not focused next shift."

"Let's just get this done." Kelly nodded and the two of them went up front to unload the wood out of Kelly's truck so it would be ready for the following week.

Gabby woke up to an empty bed so she went down to the kitchen only to find it empty as well. They were supposed to spend some quality time in bed this morning and deep down she was mad at him for not keeping his word but when she picked up the folded paper on the table and her anger dissipated, leaving a smile on her lips.

 _Good morning beautiful,_

 _I know I said that we'd spend the morning together but I wanted to finish some things with Kelly this morning but I sent in some reinforcements your way to have fun with the kids. Meet me at the house for dinner._

 _I love you._

 _Matt_

"I love you too." She whispered just as the doorbell rang. She opened the door to Shay, Christie and Violet.

"You just found out didn't you?" Shay smirked.

"He's just lucky he has a way with words, I wanted to kill him five minutes ago. Come on in, the kids are still in bed."

"Just what we need. It's time to make breakfast for everyone." All the girls went into the kitchen and they made a big breakfast for everyone. The kids came down about half an hour later and they enjoyed breakfast together before they got everyone ready, the girls telling Gabby they were headed towards the waterpark.

Matt and Kelly got all the wood placed in the back yard just in time for the delivery truck to park in front of the house. Matt signed for the items and the guys brought all the purchases in the master bedroom.

"So Gabby doesn't know you're doing this at all?"

"Not suspecting a thing."

"I'm sure she's going to love it."

"I hope so." The guys left about half an hour later, leaving Matt and Kelly to put everything where Matt wanted it. Kelly left Matt to finish doing the setup after all the heavy pieces were where he wanted them. kelly went downstairs to grab a beer, the heat starting to be heavy around lunchtime. They ordered some pizza and grabbed more beer, the next mission being the room off the kitchen.

"You know that you'll be wiped out before this is over." Kelly could see that Matt was wearing himself thin. If he wasn't on shift at the firehouse he was at the new house or running around after five kids.

"I'm trying to ballance everything Kelly and I'm trying to stay on top of it and so far it's going fine. It's not as if I was doing all of this alone."

"I know but, just be careful. all your girls need you to stay alive."

"I know." It didn't take long for them to finish the small room because it would be an area mostly for the kids to hang around while Gabby cooked.

"Do you think the girls are having fun?"

"With Shay and Gabby together, no doubt."

As expected, they had gone though most of the water slides in the kids section, Valentina giggling everytime she went down with Violet.

"Thanks girls for this, I really needed it." They were now sitting down for lunch while the kids ran around in the sand.

"Matt is the one to thank. He's the one who planned all of this."

"Don'T worry, there will be some thanking."

"Gabby." Christie exclaimed, a laugh escaping her lips.

"I'm lucky to have him."

"Speaking of lucky." Shay started. "What's going on with you and Kelly?"

"I like where we are. It's easy and he's so good with Violet."

"I always knew Kelly would be great with kids." Shay added.

"Any plans of moving in together?" Gabby asked, not sure if the idea was even mentionned or not.

"We haven't really talked about it but he's spends most of his nights at home with us when he's not on shift. I'm just not sure if he's quite at that point yet."

"Trust me, he is. I've known Kelly for years now and I've never seen him committed to anyone the way he is to you and Violet. And let's face it, Matt didn't kill him yet so I know he would approve."

"You're probably right." Christie laughed. They spent a few more hours at the waterpark before they took the kids back home. The whole lot of them fell asleep in the truck out of exhaustion and it took all three adults to help them settle down for a nap. They did a pasta sauce for them but Christie and Shay had something else in store for Gabby.

"Ok so, since this is all planned out, we are kicking you out for the evening."

"You've done more than enough." Gabby protested.

"Matt's orders, sorry." They let her showe and change into something more casual before they practically kicked her out the front door with the instructions to meet Matt at the new house.

Matt showered and changed after they cleaned everything in the house and Kelly left him to go spend the evening with the girls at Matt's old house. Shay had texted him when Gabby was in the shower so he could order from her favourite italian restaurant so the food would be there when she'd arrive.

Gabby walked through the front door and could already smell the food and she smiled as she walked farther in, the lights dimmed. "Matt?"

"Hey." She turned around at the sound of his voice. He was walking down the stairs from the top floor. "How was your day?" He kissed her.

"You spoil me too much."

"I'll spoil you even more once we're done eating." They walked into the kitchen where food was waiting with candles lit on the counter.

"Matt." She could feel tears burning her eyes, her smile wide.

"My way of saying I'm sorry for missing today."

"I'm starving." She chuckled. They had been outside all day and even though they had had lunch, all this setting and her smotions were making her hungry now.

"Dinner is served." Gabby talked about her day while they ate, telling him in detail Valentina's excitement and everyone else's fun. Once they were done, Matt got rid of the food and put the dishes in the sink under hot water before deciding that they could wait in the morning.

"But Matt, the food will stick." Gabby protested.

"The dishes can wait." He smirked. He pulled a blindfold out of his pocket and showed it to Gabby.

"What's that?"

"That is a surprise I've been working on for the past few days." She eagerly complied and Matt lead her up the stairs, his hands on her hips guiding her to their destination. "Ready?" He whispered in her ear.

"Ready." She whispered back before Matt removed the blindfold.

"Open your eyes baby." Her eyes fluttered open but what was in front of her was making her eyes water. She looked at Matt before looking back into their room.

"Is this why I haven't seen you these last few days?"

"Yes. I wanted our room to be extra special."

"This isn't extra special, it's gorgeous Matt." The walls were a light, almost white sand colour. In the middle of the room was a heavy wrought iron bed with a white and aqua coloured motives. It was flanked by two massive side tables and at the foot of the bed, there was an eight drawer chest for Gabby to put her clothes in and againt the far wall was a chest for Matt's things. On the wall that Gabby assumed was her side, there was a collection of family portraits. "Where did you get all these pictures Matt?"

"I went by your parents house after the kids birthday party. They were happy to give them to me for this."

"It's perfect Matt." She couldn't help but pick up a black and white picture of Alberto with all three kids after Valentina was born, before their world was turned upside down.

"I'm happy you like it."

"I don't like it, I love it." She put the picture frame on her dresser and wrapped her arms around Matt's neck, her lips to his in a tender kiss.

"And I love you."

"Tell me about it." Gabby's fingers made their way to the front of Matt's shirt, undoing one button at a time. "The girls are staying with the kids for the night?" Gabby assumed with a smirk.

"That's right."

"Than we have this place all to ourselves?"

"All to ourselves." He whispered, lifting her up and sitting her on her dresser, his lips crashing on hers. They undressed each other and Matt let her wrap her legs around his waist before he set her down on the fresh new sheets. They made out in between the sheets as their bodies tangled into each other. They spent the night making love in their brand new paradise, one that would be theirs and theirs alone.

* * *

 **a/n: Wow, another big one. I really hope that you guys love it and please take a few minutes to leave a review, I always love to know what you guys think of it. - Sarra**


	54. Boys Boys Boys

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and the kids names.**

 **a/n: Thank you so much to everyone who read and reviewed the last chapter, the response was amazing. Now this chapter is meant to be a bonding experience between Matt and the boys so enjoy the read.**

* * *

Matt woke up the next morning, the room still in early morning darkness. Gabby's body was lightly draped with the white sheets, the stark contrast evident even in the dark. He propped himself on his elbow and just watched her as she slept. All the hours that he hadn't been there in the last few days were worth it after last night. He had explored every inch of her body even though he knew it by heart now and to have her body fit perfectly with his, it was like they were meant for each other. He moved a strand of hair out of her eyes and smiled at the sight of her. It was only when he let his lips travel to the soft skin of her shoulder did her eyes flutter open.

"Morning." She whispered, a smile spreading on her lips.

"Good morning beautiful. How did you sleep?"

"Best night of my life."

"I was that good huh?" Their voice never above a whisper.

"You were perfect. This room is perfect."

"Kids free zone."

"Speaking of kids, what's the plan for today?"

"I was thinking I could have a boys day with the twins, work on their room."

"Matt, you should take it easy today, you're going back on shift tomorrow." She shifted to her side so she could face him properly.

"I'll be taking it easy today I promise."

"You know I don't like this Matt. You're starting to be tired and I'm not the only one that's noticed it."

"I promise I'm fine. I thought it could be fun to spend some time with the boys, go to the hardware store and we could go buy them some new linen for their bed, let them choose some new ones for their new rooms, what do you think?"

If Gabby was being honest with herself, hearing Matt speak about spending some one on one time with her children was making her heart swell with joy. "You're not playing fair with me Matt Casey." She closed her eyes and took a few calming breaths. "Fine, you win but I'll take the girls shopping for some new linen's for their own room since they'll keep all their furniture from the room they have now."

"And we can meet back here for dinner, what do you say?"

"I say we have ourselves a plan." Matt leaned down and captured her lips in a tender kiss. He wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her closer to him. "But not until I make love to you again." Their next kiss wasn't as tender but it was filled with desire, want and love. Matt gave his attention to every inch of her skin, making her shiver. They made love again, a good kind of exhaustion coming over them before they showered and grabbed some breakfast on their way to picking the kids up.

The kids were excited to see their parents back even though they had a lot of fun with Shay and Christie and movie night filled with too much sugar.

"What are we doing today mom?" Luis asked. Gabby looked at Matt and let him answer instead.

"What would you guys think about coming with me to the hardware store so we can pick up some paint, some wood and nails and then go buy some new sheets for your new room?"

"Can we help you do our room?"Filippe asked excitedly.

"You bet." The boys jumped up and down excitedly. "Get your shoes on and let's go."

"What about us?" Grace wondered. "What are we doing today?"

"What do you girls think about going shopping?"

"Yay." Matt gave Gabby a look but she only smirked back.

"Go get your shoes on and then we can leave." All the kids were gone to get ready, leaving all four adults alone.

"So how was last night?" Shay questioned. "How did you like the room?"

"It was perfect." Gabby blushed lightly. "And the room is just perfect, Matt thought of everything."

"I'm happy for you guys. Well I have to go meet Megan so I'll see you back on shift in the morning Matt." Shay hugged him and then Gabby, leaving before any of them could question her about this new relationship.

"She didn't stick around for interrogation." Gabby huffed but she knew she'd have another chance at it tomorrow when she would undoubtedly bring victims in from their runs.

"I'll be waiting for her on shift." Matt added.

"Well I got to go, Kelly is waiting for us to go out for lunch."

"Thanks again for yesterday."

"It's always my pleasure, you guys have fun today." Christie hugged her brother before hugging Gabby and both she and Violet left the couple with their own plans for the day.

"Who's ready?" Matt asked as the kids came back into view.

"We are." They all yelled.

"Alright, let's go." The boys and the girls separated and each went in a different direction, the girls to the mall and the boys to the hardware store. Matt parked on the industrial side of the store since he was going to use his contracting licence to get what he needed. "Ok so how about we go pick up the paint colour for your room first?"

"I want red." Luis hopped excitedly.

"No Luis, we should paint it blue, like the police."

"Alright boys, let's just get to the paint section and then we can look at different idea's ok?" They nodded and they made their way to the paint isle and they looked at different colour ideas. "Ok so here's what I had in mind. What do you guys think about a having a bunk bed?" He knew it had nothing to do with the paint but they had to start at the very beginning.

"I want the top." Luis exclaimed, not even leaving any time for Filippe to put a word in.

"We need to talk about that one first."

"No that's ok, he can have the top." Filippe said. That was easier than Matt had anticipated.

"Oh ok, are you sure?"

"Uh huh? Are you going to build our bed Matt?"

"Do you guys want to help?"

"YES."

"Alright then so now for the paint. These are the colours that we chose, now we have to narrow it down."

"I want red." Luis repeated from earlier."

"The two of you need to agree on one."

"I want red like your truck Matt." Luis explained. Now it was clearer for Matt why the boys wanted those colours.

"Ok so you want firefighter red and you want police blue right?" The boys nodded. "Ok than here's the plan." Matt proceeded in explaining what he had in mind for their room, making them all the more excited about the project. They grabbed the cans of paint with all the right rolls and brushes and then they went to the wood section. Matt was quickly able to pick all the supplies he would need to build the bed and they went straight to the cash registry to pay what they had in their buggy. The boys helped to put the paint and smaller things in the back of the truck with them while Matt put the heavier things in the bed of his pick-up. With all the things that they had bought, he realized that he'd need some reinforcements so he gave Herrmann and chief Boden a call for some help and they agreed to meet him at the new house. When they got there, both trucks were there.

"Who's that?" Filippe wondered out loud as they hopped out of the truck.

"That is Christopher Herrmann and chief Wallace Boden, they're going to help us out."

"I thought we were going to help you out?" Matt could see the disappointment in Luis's face.

"You two will help me out in the garage with your beds and Herrmann and Boden will help paint your room and move your beds into the house and up the stairs so everything can be done today. I don't want the two of you getting hurt and your mom would be mad at me if anything happened to you."

Luis was satisfied with that explanation and the boys helped unload the paint, rolls and brushed from the truck into the house while Matt, Herrmann and Boden took care of bringing the wood into the garage. Matt gave them a tour of the house before showing them the bys rooms last.

"You have a great place here Casey." Herrmann commented as they walked through the finished parts of the house.

"Thanks Herrmann. I know that I still have a lot of work left to do but it's getting there. I'm hoping that we can move in before we have to think about school supplies and first day of class."

"You've been working around the clock Casey." Matt didn't miss the meaning behid his comment.

"I'm good chief."

"That's what I want to hear. So where do you need us?" Boden didn't want to hound his lieutenant about what he did outside of work, just as long as his head was in the game when it came time for shift.

"The room needs to painted so we can bring the furniture in later. I'll be working in the garage on the bunk bed with the boys in the meantime. I told them they could help me out."

"These kids are lucky to have you Matt."

"Thanks Christopher." The boys came running back into the room.

"We're ready Matt." Filippe announced proudly.

"Alright. So we'll leave Herrmann and chief Boden to the paint and we'll go do some hammering in the garage." Boden patted Matt on the back and he went with the kids to the garage where the wood and his tools were waiting for him.

"Are we really going to help you Matt?" Filippe questionned.

"Yeah." He pulled a box from a shelf and took two small toolbelts out. "These are for you." He had bought them when he first had the idea about the room, even before he had spoken to Gabby about it. The boys were extra excited now. "And we can't forget eye protection." He had a few of those lying around because the girls liked to watch him work in the house.

"Those are really ours?" Filippe asked.

"Yup, you can use them whenever you want to."

"Cool." Matt smiled, he was happy that the boys were excited about this.

"Alright, let's get started." He took some screws and put them in Filippe's helt and put some nails in Luis's one and equipted them with a pencil each. He took his power drill and hammer and they were all set. "I just have a few rules for you and if you don't listen to them you won't be able to help me ok?"

"Ok."

"All I need from the two of you is to listen to me and keep your fingers away from the tools so I can keep you safe."

"Ok." They both nodded, the rules pretty clear. They watched from their seat as Matt took measurements and drew a few lines on the wood before he took turned the power saw on.

"This is going to be loud, you can put your hands over your ears if it's too much for you guys." Filippe was the first to bring his hands up, even before Matt turned it on so he tried to hurry up and cut everything now so he wouldn't have to use it again.

Each boy was given a first mission to paint the pieces of wood but Matt gave them a little hand to make sure that they didn't miss any spots but they were pretty thorough at their task, the two happy to be aloud to give a hand. Once that was all painted, Matt decided it was time for a break while the paint dried enough for him to build the beds.

"It's time for lunch, let's go see how far along Herrmann and chief are in your room." The boys refused to remove the tool belts and the three of them went inside and up the stairs only to find the two putting down their rollers. "Looks great in here chief. What do you boys think? Did they do a good job?"

"It's perfect."

"Christopher and I have been talking and we think we'll be able to find some cool decorations for your walls. Your uncle Antonio agreed to help out too."

"Isn't that cool?" He didn't doubt for a second that chief Boden would have pulled something off like this so it would just add to the room's cool factor.

"So our room will be extra special?"

"It'll be one of a kind." Matt assured them.

"Can we keep it a surprise for mom until it's finished?"

"Absolutely. Now who's up for pizza?" Matt asked, the kids complaining that they were starving. The pizza was ordered and it didn't take a lot of time for it to arrive and everyone to eat, the kids eager to go back to building their bed with Matt and the others. Once that was done, Boden and Herrmann returned for a second coat of pain on two of the walls and Matt returned to the garage with the kids. First he worked on the top bunk, Luis's firetruck bed, Luis handing him the nails for the assembly. Then Filippe was more than happy to give Matt the screws for his part of the bed. Boden and Herrmann came to join them as soon as they were done so they could give a hand in bringing all the parts back inside. The kids left to go play in the yard while the three adults put together the top and bottom part together before the boys were even aloud close to the room to see the results.

The boys were called up once the beds were set up and instantly, their eyes became bigger and the smile on their faces was what Matt was looking to achieve. "Now I know that it's not finished yet what do you think of it?"

"We love it."

"What do we say to Herrmann and chief?"

"Thank you." They both said.

"Yeah thank you chief, Christopher."

"Glad we could help." Both Herrmann and chief shook Matt's hand.

"I'll keep you updated with the care package for the room."

"Thanks chief."

"I'll see you back on shift in the morning." Matt nodded and the two left him with the two boys. Matt settled them for a snack before they went to shop for the sheets.

"What is mom doing with the girls?" Filippe asked and they went back into Matt's truck to go to the store.

"They are gone shopping."

"Shopping is boring." Luis complained.

"That's why we leave the shopping to your mom and the girls." Matt chuckled as they made their way to the store. They were lucky to find everything they needed, all that was missing now was what chief Boden and Antonio would get them to decorate their room. Once they got out of there, they went to the grocery store to pick something out for dinner so it could be ready for when Gabby and the girls got home a little later.

 **TBC**

* * *

 **a/n: So I have this little plan with this chapter and the next one and I don't consider it a part1/part2 kind of thing but they go together hand in hand so look out at the next one I'm going to try to get out soon.**

 **As always, please take a few seconds to review the chapter before you go, I always love to know what you guys thought about it. - Sarra**


	55. Girls girls girls

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and the kids names.**

 **a/n: Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, it means the world to me. I know I said I'd post this quickly but sadly the words came last for this update but I hope you guys will like it.**

* * *

Gabby got the three girls situated in their seats before she tooks hers behind the wheel.

"What are we going to buy Gabby?" Grace asked from the back seat.

"Well Valentina needs some new clothes, she's growing up so fast. And the two of you need some new sheets for your new room and I was thinking maybe we could go pick a paint colour for your walls and some decorations, what do you think?"

"Thanks Gabby." Emma mumbled from her spot next to Valentina.

"Thank you for what Emma?" Gabby frowned, looking at Emma through the rearview mirror.

"Thank you for bringing us shopping."

"It's nothing honey." Knowing in her gut what Emma meant by that, Gabby felt her heart break into tiny pieces. Now that she had a little more money set aside with her moving in with Matt, she decided to change her plans a little bit. "First stop is walmart for new sheets. The drive towards the store wasn't very long and Gabby let the girls undo their seat belts by themselves while she took care of taking Valentina out of her car seat. She held her hand as they walked in the parking lot because there was a lot of cars. She started by going towards the children's section for Valentina so this could be out of the way, giving her all the time to spend on taking care of both Grace and Emma. She picked a few shirts and some shorts and she was set to go, she already knew what sizes to pick. Then she moves towards the girls section.

"Alright now I know that you have plenty of clothes but I noticed that a few of them have holes in them so let's get you a few pieces ok?"

"Daddy wants us to finish using these ones before he buys us some new ones for school." Grace mentioned.

"Well we are probably going to do a party at the new house when it's all done and that we're all moved in so how about we pick outfits for that?"

"A party? really?"

"Really." Gabby chuckled. "So what do you say? Do you ladies want to pick something out?" The girls became excited and started walking around the isles to find some pieces of clothing. Once they had a few things, they headed over to the changing booths. "Are you girls going to be ok in there or do you need some help?" She asked them once they had hidden away behind the door.

"I'm good Gabby." Grace called.

"Me too." Emma echoed. Gabby waited for them to come out with one kit on each. Grace was wearing a white shirt with a big blue star on the front with the word shine under it with a jean skirt while Emma had a pink version of the same shirt, a white skirt with pink knee length leggings under it.

"You look all grown up." She smiled at them. "Alright, something else now." The girls turned around and came back out two more times with two equally pretty outfits and Gabby couldn't choose just one out of the three. "Alright, put everything in here." She gestured to the cart.

"I thought you said one Gabby." Emma and Grace were used to listen when given some instructions and Gabby had told them that they could choose one kit each for the party.

"Well I can't decide on just one so I'm deciding to take all of them."

"Dad won't be happy." Grace said.

"How about I deal with your dad ok?"

"Ok." They both nodded. The next step was the linen isle so they could choose their new sheets.

"How about you girls look at the ones you like and then you can decide which one you want."

"That's a good idea Gabby." Grace smiled.

"I know." The girls pulled several _beds in a bag_ type sheets with the top blanket and the sheets and the pillow covers. They were lined up against the row and the three girls looked at them, Valentina all excited from her spot in the shopping cart. "Ok so which one do you like the best?"

"I don't like this one so much." Grace picked one up in her hands.

"Than put it back on the shelf where you found it, that way the people who work here won't have too much extra work to do here." The girls put a few of them back and were finally to two choices each. "So which one will it be?"

"I'll take this one." Grace took one of her last two choices in her arms. It was lined with different colours, butterflies and a little bit of boho type motives. It was purple and aqua with some white and some butterflies on it.

"And I decided on this one." Emma took hers in her arms too. It was aqua with some fushia mandela symbols on it.

"Are you guys absolutely sure? Because this is probably the last set you'll have in a long while.

"Yes, we're sure."

"Alright, place them in the cart and put the rest of it back where you took it." They did as they were told and now it was time to go to the cash registrars and pay for everything. Gabby watched as numbers went up with each item scanned but she thought it was worth it, Matt probably having spent just as much on materials for the boys room.

"Where are we going now Gabby?"

"How about we go for lunch and then we can go pick out a paint colour for your room at the hardware store."

"Where are we going for lunch?" Grace asked as she buckled herself into her seat.

"McDonald's." Both girls looked at each other before answering together.

"Alright." Gabby chuckled. "McDonald's it is." They drove to the restaurant and the girls excitedly bounced inside the building. They waited in line for a few minutes before Gabby ordered three mc nuggets happy meals for the girls and a double cheeseburger for herself. The girls got their drinks at the soda station ann by themselves and each took their tray since Gabby couldn't take care of all of that plus Valentina at the same time.

"Can we go play in the games Gabby?" Grace asked as they all sat down at a table just outside the playground.

"Only if you eat everything. Then we can all go play in there a bit before we have to go do the other errands we have on our list.

"Ok." Gabby was surprised that the girls immediately quieted down and ate their lunch while she helped Valentina with hers. It was a welcome difference from when she was with the boys because as soon as they mentioned the games and her a condition, they were always noisy and quick to shove everything in their mouths so they could go play. Once they were all done and that the treys were cleared and in the trash, all four girls went into the closed playground. The twins went to wander off on their own while Gabby stayed with Valentina to make sure she didn't get hurt. Gabby gave them twenty minutes to play before it was time to go to the hardware store.

Once there, their first destination was the paint isle. "Ok so we're looking for a colour that will go with both your sheet sets." The girls pulled out one colour pallet after another, never one of them fitting both colour pallets. "How about we go with a colour like this?" She showed them an off white colour that could go with any colour.

"Will we be able to put things on the walls?"

"We'd have to see with dad but I think it's a great idea." After picking up a few gallons of what was needed from instructions Matt had given Gabby by text, they went on to browse the decoration section. Gabby saw something at the very end of the isle and while the girls were looking at something else, Gabby grabbed what she needed from the shelves and into the cart. The trip to the hardware store had proven to be faster than what she had anticipated and after a quick trip to the store for something Matt had forgotten, they were heading to the new house to have dinner all together.

The girls helped Gabby bring some bags inside, leaving the paint in the SUV for later when Matt could help her. "Oh my god, did you girls raid the Walmart?" Matt turned from cooking the chicken when he heard the girls walk in.

"Maybe." Gabby shrugged, biting her lip. "I know you said the girls didn't need any clothes and that you wanted them to finish using the ones they had but I couldn't help it, they looked cute in everything." Gabby kissed him.

"I knew I shouldn't have trusted you with this mission." He smirked, returning the kiss. "So what do you have in there?"

"Clothes for Valentina, three kits for each girl and the sheets. The paint is still in my car."

"I'll take it out later."

"And something special for the girls walls. How did it go with the boys?" Gabby was surprised that they hadn't come bouncing in the kitchen when she arrived.

"It went great. They listened and behaved."

"Can I see their room?"

"Not quite." He turned back to the stove a few minutes before looking back at Gabby. "They are waiting for a care package from chief Boden and Antonio and then you can see their room."

"So it's top secret huh?"

"Above top secret."

"Oh I see. Well I have an above top secret project for the girls. And you, you're not too tired are you?" She had looked him over since walking into the house and his body seemed tired and not as straight as it usually was.

"No I'm fine, today was fun."

"Are you sure? Because you have shift in the morning and you need to be one hundred percent."

"I'm sure. We'll go home and get the kids washed and in bed and we can call it a night early, how does that sound?"

"Sounds perfect."

"Dinner is almost ready."

"I'll set the table." Matt watched her as she set the table for everyone, placing all the vegetables and the cheese for the fajitas. He hated lying to her about how tired he was but he wanted to move into this house as soon as possible so he could put the other one on the market so they could put their old lives behind them to start a new chapter together.

Gabby watched a silent Matt during dinner while the girls and the boys talked about what they had done during the day, both boys always keeping details about their room vague so everyone would be surprised at the same time. She knew he wasn't being entirely truthful about being tired but getting into an argument over it wouldn't solve anything. After they were done eating, the kids went to play some more with toys they had brought here from the old house, leaving Matt and Gabby with the dishes before they headed home.

"Why don't you just admit it that you're tired Matt?" She knew that she shouldn't be bringing it up because he had claimed time and time again that he was perfectly fine but she couldn't help it, his body language was telling her something different from his actual words.

"I told you I'm fine, why don't you just take my word for it?" He put the plate he was washing down roughly and looked at her.

"I know Matt but your body is telling me something different."

"Why don't you just leave it alone?" His tone made her jump slightly as he just left the plate there and turned to leave.

"Come on girls, we're going home." He called them from the basement, not saying another word to Gabby. Gabby watched as he got them ready and they headed out without so much as a see you later from him. She finished the dishes with tears lingering in her eyes and got the boys and Valentina ready to go home. When she walked through the front door, the house was awfully quiet. She got Valentina in bed and the boys cleaned up before making them brush their teeth and head to bed and heading in search of Matt. She didn't find him anywhere but the girls were in bed and the last option was their bedroom. She walked in and the lights were off, Matt's body under the pillows.

"Matt?" She questioned barely above a whisper but got nothing in returned. She was pretty sure he was still mad at her but she was hoping that he was sleeping because the former because she didn't want them to fight over something small like this. She got ready for bed and slipped into the covers next to him. "I love you." She let her words linger with no response coming form Matt so she blinked the tears away and fell asleep.

She woke up the next morning to an empty bed and sighed. She didn't understand how things could go wrong with just a few words.

* * *

 **a/n: Uh oh! Is Gabby right to worry about Matt being tired or is he really fine? Sorry to leave you guys handing but it seemed fitting. I put the links into my author's profile for what the girls sheets look like if ever you guys can't imagine it. And as always, please take a few seconds to review before you go, I always like to know what you guys think of it - Sarra**


	56. Warnings and bad choices

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and the kids.**

 **a/n: Thank you to everyone who left a review on last chapter, you guys are amazing. Everybody's been asking me to update soon so here it is, another chapter, I hope you guys enjoy it.**

* * *

Matt woke up the next morning, Gabby safely tucked under the blankets, sleeping. He silently got up, got dressed and ready to leave. Christie and Laura were going to take all five kids to the zoo today so he simply took his duffle bag that was next to the front door and left the house

He drove all the way to 51 with only his thoughts, not even feeling like listening to the radio. He figured that he'd just ignore those who were already there and would close himself off in his office until roll call. He was lucky enough to find the house empty, second watch out on a call but he wasn't as lucky as he grabbed his things to grab a shower, walking straight into Kelly.

"Damn Matt, you look like hell." He had his hand around Matt's arm.

"It's nothing." Matt pulled his arm away from Kelly but Kelly held on tightly.

"Did something happen last night?"

"None of your business Severide." Matt pulled a bit harder to release his arm from Kelly's grip and headed for the showers. The warm water did nothing to dissipate the fog that clouded his mind from last night's fight with Gabby. When he got back from the shower, he grabbed some much needed coffee and breakfast and took his spot at the head of the table as usual. He looked at his paper, hoping no one would bother him.

Gabby woke up and stretched her arm out to Matt's side of the bed to find it empty. She sighed deeply before running her hands across her face.

"Please stay safe." She whispered to herself, hoping Matt would at least do nothing careless before she could even apologize for last night. She showered quickly because she was on shift in less than an hour and the girls were scheduled to be there in about fifteen minutes. She poured herself a coffee and in mug to go when there was a knock on the door. "Christie, thanks again for doing this."

"It's never a problem, I love these kids. Are you ok?" She asked concerned.

"Bad night, had a fight with Matt last night."

"What happened?" Christie made sure the kids weren't there to hear about it.

"Well I can't really say it was a fight but Matt has been working on the new house on his days off and he's starting to be tired and he won't admit it so I called him out on it and he kind of yelled at me."

"I'm sorry. Matt is really stubborn when he wants to."

"I just wished we could have talked about it this morning. He was gone when I woke up and I didn't even have time to say sorry before he went in for shift."

"Maybe try him at lunch."

"Yeah, I think I'll do that. Thanks Christie."

"You're welcome. Now get going, I have it from here."

"Thanks." She smiled at her before heading out. She tried to concentrate on the job once she set foot in the hospital but it was somewhat hard after checking her phone a few times after texting Matt to know if they could talk and have no answer yet. As soon as lunch time came around, she grabbed her purse and keys and left directly for the firehouse, quickly stopping for food on her way there. She couldn't have today finish with Matt being mad at her so she was going to fix it.

When she made it to the firehouse, the trucks were out and she only hoped that they would be back soon. She decided to occupy her mind by cooking for the house and she was glad when she was done with the pasta sauce and she could hear the trucks pulling in. She suddenly became nervous as some of the guys from truck started walking in. She stilled her movements as Matt walked in, chief Boden hot on his trail.

"I don't want you to do anything this stupid again. You put your life and your team's life in danger. Are we clear lieutenant?" Everyone in the common room stood silent as the chief spoke, anger rolling off his tongue, Matt turning around to face him. They stood facing each other for a few seconds before Matt finally found his voice.

"Yes sir." He finally locked eyes with Gabby but completely ignored her as he walked back towards his office where he figured no one would bother him but unfortunately for him, Gabby had gone off after him, the rest of the house watching as she did.

Gabby stopped the door from closing with a bang with her hand. "Matt, we need to talk."

"Gabby, not now." He was in no mood right now to get into it with her. He was tired and his body was in pain from the fall, one story down in the last call they had just arrived from.

"Matt, please. We need to talk about this."

"There's nothing to talk about Gabby. Just let it go." The bell called him out again, preventing the two from finishing this conversation.

"Be careful." She screamed as he left his office without another word, leaving her alone in the small space. After a few minutes of feeling at a total loss, she headed back out and went back to the hospital, hoping that nothing would happen to him.

Matt was quick to make it to 81 first. He put on his gear and boots and took his spot at the front, their destination far enough to be plagued by their last call.

 _The building was already engulfed in flames when they made it there, chief quickly giving orders to his teams as they hopped down the rigs. Matt was in charge of the top floor with Herrmann so they went up and did their search like they normally did, finding a mom with her son and bringing them down._

 _"The smoke is turning black, everyone out NOW." Chief called in his radio._

 _"Copy that chief." Matt looked at Herrmann as they hurried down the stairs. Matt heard someone call for help when they stepped out, the woman in good enough shape to finish getting out on her own. Matt's eyes locked with chief Boden's before he deliberately ignored his order and went back in._

 _"CASEY' GET THE HELL OUT OF THERE!" Everyone at the scene watched as Boden fumed and both Herrmann and Otis looked at each other before Boden reluctantly nodded and the two of them went back in in search of their lieutenant._

 _"Casey, call out." Otis called loudly as they moved through the main floor. Herrmann found the second kid but Matt wasn't anywhere to be seen. "Casey call out." Otis called again as he moved farther onto the floor, reaching Casey just as the floor gave under his lieutenant, the man falling down to the basement with a loud bang. "Severide!" Otis knew that Squad would be able to help him. His radio crackled back to life and he heard Severide ask what he needed. "Casey fell through the floor, we need to go down to get him."_

 _Matt grunted as his back hit the floor under him, pain shooting up into his arms. He could hear Otis's voice in his radio, asking Severide for some help. He painfully rolled on his side and grab hold of his radio. "I need some help down here." It seemed like forever until he was pulled up but it had been a matter of minutes really when Severide and the others pulled him up to safety and getting out of the house just moments before it collapsed._

 _"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR DAMN MIND?" Casey was swiftly pulled up by a very angry Boden and pushed back slightly. "Pack your trucks, LET'S GO!" Boden simply turned and left, Matt knowing in how much trouble he was in._

The trucks came to a halt at the entrance of the industrial part of town and everybody got down and waited for Boden to give his orders. Boden looked a little bit longer Matt's way to make sure his truck lieutenant had understood the orders he had just given him. They walked into the building and they were brought farther inside by some staff to find a man on with his arm stuck in a conveyer belt. At first glance, it looks like an easy enough save but after some workers explained what they were doing here, it all became more complicated and delicate. Severide and Capp went directly to the man, trying to figure out a way to get him out of there without him losing a limb.

"Matt, we need the electricity shut down right now if we want to keep his arm."

"I'm on it Severide." Matt followed the belt all the way to the end where the electrical pannel stood. He opened it and sparks started flying, prompting Matt to jump a step back. "This might take a few minutes Sev." He called out, trying to keep his fingers out of reach of the sparks.

"He doesn't have a few minutes." Severide yelled back.

"Crap." Casey cursed under his breath. The spraks didn't seem to stop so he put his gloves back on and did what he had to do get the electricity to stop before the belt ripped that man's arm off. He examined the box for a few seconds before he wrapped his finger around one of the wires and as he pulled it, the sparks ignited and the box blew up, throwing Matt backwards into some shelving and then to the ground with a grunt, the electricity effectively shutting down.

"Lieutenant, are you ok?" Both Herrmann and Mouch came to his aid to get up.

"Yeah, I'm good." He coughed as he stood straight. He watched as Capp and Severide worked on the man while he tried to catch his breath but his breathing became more shallow.

"Are you sure you're ok lieutenant?" Herrmann patted him on the back.

"I said I'm fine, go help Severide."

"On it Casey." He did as he was told and went to help the others. The three men managed to get the worker on a stretcher with his arm in pretty bad shape, Shay and Brett taking him to Lakeshore.

Matt started experiencing even shorter breath as they left the building, a few black spots finally starting to dance in front of his eyes. He grabbed his helmet from the ground with his right hand and suddenly his body buckled, Cruz and Otis powerless to catch him as he fell from where they stood behind him. They ran to their lieutenant and helped him to his knees.

"Where does it hurt?" Cruz looked him over and couldn't really see what was going on with him.

"I'm fine." Matt tried to insist but everyone who was watching wasn't buying it. He tried to pull himself up again and his body refused to hold his weight down, a loud cry escaping his lips.

"Lieutenant, you're bleeding." Mills was just now noticing the blood that was trickling down Casey's side. Matt looked down at where Mills was talking about and immediately his vision turned black, the world slipping away.

Severide was quickly on his radio. "Squad 3 to main." His fingers were slightly shaking as his best friend laid unconscious on the ground. **Main to Squad 3, what do you need?** "Firefighter down at our call, we need an ambo now." **Copy that, an ambulance is on route.** Severide rushed to Casey's side and pulled open his turnout coat and that's when he noticed what was wrong. Matt had a small piece of rebar stuck into his side, blood starting to flow steadily from it now. "I need some help here." Mills was already running back towards truck to get the jump bag that was waiting there for moments like this.

"Here Lieutenant, let me do it." Kelly had his hands pressing down on Matt's wound and blood was slowly making its way through his fingers. Kelly looked at Mills and brushed him off.

"I can't take my hands off of there, he's bleeding too much." Mills nodded silently and proceeded in putting a line in and the oxygen mask over his nose until the EMT's arrived. It took about five minutes before a gurney rolled in followed by Chout and McCullen.

"What do we have?"

"Casey was thrown backwards after the electrical panel blew up and he said he was fine but we didn't know." Mills started explaining what had happened. "I noticed bleeding coming from his side and that's when he collapsed. He has a piece of rebar stuck in his side and he's loosing a lot of blood."

"Alright lieutenant." Severide looked straight at Chout. "I need you to keep your hands where they are and apply some more pressure while we transfer him to the backboard and then you're riding with us."

"Ok." They had to be able to bring him in in time because all Kelly could think about right now was Gabby, Christie and the girls and how they couldn't lose him. The move was quick and Severide was walking quickly next to the gurney and into the ambo, Boden closing the doors and the white truck sped off towards Lakeshore. The rest of firehouse 51 followed closely behind.

Gabby was finishing to write some reports when Shay came tumbling into the peds department. "Hey girl, are you ok?" She had seen the whole thing unfold at the firehouse between Gabby and Matt and she needed to make sure that her friend was ok.

"Not really. Were you guys on a call?" She asked as she wrote the last words down and put the file back where it belonged.

"Yeah, we just brought a victim in with his arm that was stuck in a conveyer belt."

"The must hurt like hell."

"He was a champ really."

"And Matt?" Shay looked down at her hands as Gabby looked at her expectantly.

"Did something happen to Matt?" She asked worried.

"Nothing big, he seemed ok when we left."

"That's it, I'm going down there now." She grabbed her things and was ready to follow Shay back to the firehouse. They were going down the stairs and had to go through the ER to get to the employee parking lot but the scene that unfolded in front of their eyes nearly made Gabby go numb. Chout and McCully were pushing a gurney in.

"Male, 32, impaled on the side by a rebar." Gabby's feet moved like they had a will of their own and pushed through several people before she was abruptly stopped by the medical staff.

"You can't go any further miss." The male nurse that was in front of her was large enough to stop her but she tried pushing through anyways, tears falling freely now.

"You have to let me go in, he's my boyfriend." She implored with him.

"I'm sorry miss but you'll have to wait until we can update you." Gabby's world suddenly stopped turning as she saw the man she loved being wheeled towards the OR's, no idea if she was going to see him again and make it right.

* * *

 **a/n: PLEASE DON'T KILL ME! I know everyone has been wanting for Dawsey to fix their issues but I felt like the story needed a little more drama. I hope you guys enjoyed it anyways and please take a few minutes to leave a review, I like to know what your thoughts are on all of this. - Sarra**


	57. Fallout

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and the kids names.**

 **a/n: Thank you to everyone who read and reviewed last chapter, i'm happy you liked it so much. So this chapter we'll see Kelly tell Christie about the accident and how the whole house deals with one of their own's life is at risk.**

* * *

Matt was wheeled in with Kelly still pressing firmly against his side, his feet following the gurney as fast as it did, Chout giving out what had happened.

"On my call, we move him." The nurses and the orderlies were ready and waited for the go. "One, two, now." The move was quick and suddenly, Kelly was moved aside by a nurse who had taken his place and the head nurse suddenly appearing at his side.

"You have to let them work lieutenant. We'll come update you when we have news." He was pushed back out and now he had to face the rest of the house and Gabby and he had nothing to tell them. He pushed the double doors that led back to the waiting room to find Shay comforting Gabby who was sitting with her head in her hands. The sound of the doors opening pulled her from the state she was in and her eyes locked with Kelly's hands, covered with blood.

"Kelly."

"I'm sorry Gabs, I don't know anything."

"What happened?"

"I don't know. The last thing I really remember is seeing Matt fly across the room and into some shelving." The memories in Kelly's head were a jumble and he couldn't get them sorted out right now.

"Tell me he's going to be ok." Hey eyes were glistening with tears that she was refusing to let fall right now.

"I don't know Gabs, they pushed me out of the room and told me to let them work. I'm sorry."

"He'll be ok, he has to be." She just had to believe that he would pull through and that they'd work their issues out as soon as he'd be awake.

Kelly simply nodded, choosing to have good thoughts. "I have to go tell Christie." He knew Matt's sister would never forgive him for this but he needed to be the one to tell her.

"I'll go with you." Shay offered.

"No, I have to do this alone." The whole group watched as Kelly walked past them and went straight into a bathroom. Shay watched him go even though everything in her screamed to be by her best friend's side. Kelly walked into an empty bathroom and turned the tap on and placing his hands under the water flow, trying to scrub one of his best friend's blood out of them. The water instantly turned red as he created friction between his hands and he tried to get himself together but anger and pain was all he could think of as he started crying, not even caring if anyone saw him. Once he was ok with the state of his hands, he wiped them down and headed to the front of the building. He was aware that he had no car to get to his destination as he texted Christie to find out where the group had ended up. Kelly jumped as he felt a hand on his shoulder, Boden suddenly appearing next to him.

"Take the keys to my truck Kelly."

"Thanks chief."

"Well keep you updated if anything changes." Kelly nodded as he took the keys, Boden watching him go with a sigh.

Kelly tried to get his thoughts in order before he parked Boden's truck in front of Christie's house but had failed miserably so far. For some strange reason, even though he had a key to this place, he couldn't just come in so he knocked. His eyes were looking at the ground, only looking up when he heard the door open and her eyes, the same as his looked straight at him with a smile.

"Kelly, what are you doing here?" Kelly had never once made a social visit while on shift. When he didn't answer her, her eyes looked over her shoulder to notice that Squad's truck wasn't there but it was the chief's suv. "Kelly, what's going on?" She looked behind her to see all the kids looking at her.

"It's Matt." He started as Laura appeared, tears instantly clouding Christie's eyes.

"Come on kids, let's go play outside." Laura ushered them the other way to leave the couple alone for what she assumed wasn't a social visit.

"Kelly, no." Kelly caught her just as her knees slightly buckled.

"Look at me Christie." He pulled her up so she was eye level with him. Her lip was trembling and he knew that it wasn't good news but he had to tell her. "He's in surgery at Chicago Med." Severide had gotten the news from Boden just as he had gotten out of the truck.

"The girls, we have to tell the girls." Christie looked franticly behind her and back to Kelly.

"I think it's better if we find out more about what's going on first, when we have some real information."

"I need to pull myself together. Let me just get my purse." Kelly let her go back into the house while he waited outside, not wanting to face the girls himself. Christie returned shortly after.

"Laura said she'd stay with them until we had news, let's go." Kelly didn't bother to stop her because when she had something in mind, she and Matt were very much alike. They drove back to Med, Christie staring at the passing city, Kelly putting a comforting hand on her leg. Matt had to be ok, he just had to be. As soon as Kelly had parked the car in the emergency vehicle section in front of the main door, Christie was out and running franticly inside. She found most of 51 in the waiting room and Kelly joined her a few seconds later. "Any news?" She asked the group.

"Not yet." Herrmann stood up from his chair. "He was still in surgery about thirty minutes ago." Christie nodded. Christie found an empty chair next to Gabby and took her hand in hers.

"He's going to be fine." Christie knew how Gabby felt, specially knowing that they had got into a fight the night before and that Gabby wanted to make them right again.

"I hope so." She whispered.

"Hey Lieutenant, how are you holding up?" Herrmann walked to Kelly, his face showing how he truly felt.

"There was so much blood." He simply said, looking at the closed doors and then to Christie.

"He'll pull through, Casey's a fighter."

"I know it's just that, you should have seen her when she saw I was with Boden's truck."

"You're a good man Kelly, the two of you will be just fine."

"Thanks." Kelly was always happy that Herrmann had the right words. He patted him on the shoulder and went to take the last empty seat next to Christie. She never let go of Gabby's hand but she leaned her head against his shoulder, his lips kissing the top of her head. "He's going to be fine." He whispered, feeling her nod against him.

It took another hour before anyone came to give them an update. The surgeon walked through the doors an removed his cap. "Matt Casey's family?" Gabby and Christie were the first to stand up, Kelly and Shay following closely behind as everyone else looked up, their ears listening to every word.

"Is he ok?" Gabby asked first.

"The surgery went extremely well. He was lucky that you were quick to treat him at the scene."

"What are we looking at?" Christie needed to know that her brother was ok.

"He was lucky that the rebar didn't go in deeper because we would have looked at a whole different picture. We were able to remove it and repair the small tear in his kidneys with the muscle around it. As we removed his gear, we also found some electrical burns along his arms but those were easily treatable and most likely won't leave any real damage.

"And can we see him now?" Kelly asked from his spot behind Christie, his hands on her shoulders.

"We're moving him to a room soon for recovery but right now he isn't awake yet so I'll ask you to go in just two at a time. When he wakes up and we think he's up for more visit, we'll keep you posted."

"Thanks doc." He nodded before giving them the room number and leaving. everyone was relieved for their friend and co-worker, most of them letting a sigh of relief out.

"Alright everyone, let's go back to the house." Boden stood from his chair to come stand with Kelly and Gabby. "Update us as you get more news?"

"Will do chief. Do you need me back on shift? I can come back if you need me."

"I've got you covered Severide, just stay with them." Kelly nodded as everyone moved past them, hugging them on the way out, leaving Shay last.

"Keep me posted please."

"Will do." She hugged Gabby and whispered in her ear.

"Hang in there, I love you."

"Thanks Shay, I love you too." Shay kissed her cheek one last time before she left.

The three of them took the elevator to the second floor in silence and they asked directions to Matt's room at the nurse's station. Once outside the room, Gabby thought Christie should be the one to go in first, she was his sister after all.

"You should go in first." She whispered. Somehow she couldn't bring her voice up louder right now.

"Ok but I will only stay a few minutes, I have to go tell the girls."

"I'll drive you and we can bring them back." Both Kelly and Christie walked into the room and Christie kissed her brother's forehead.

"Can't you ever stay out of trouble?" Kelly couldn't help the chuckle that escaped his lips. "I have to go tell the girls about this but I'll be back with them later. I love you." She ran her fingers through his hair.

"Keep fighting in there bud, we'll be back." He gently patted his shoulder and they both left the room, leaving Gabby alone with him. She stood in the doorframe a few seconds, her eyes roaming on Matt's form. He looked tired and sick lying in the bed and an oxygen cannula was under his nose and an IV into his arm. She recognized it as being one to fight off infection and she finally walked into the room and pulled the steel chair next to his bed.

"Hey." She took his hand in hers and tears finally slipped down her cheeks. "I'm sorry about last night, please, you have to wake up. I can't do this without you." She wasn't expecting any kind of response but she hoped that hearing her voice would bring him back to her and the kids. "Kelly and Christie are going to bet the kids. The girls will be scared when they see you like this but I'll do everything to make sure that they're ok." Gabby kept talking to Matt and yet nothing was happening. She just hoped that he'd wake up soon so they could finally talk and get back to the way they used to be.

* * *

 **a/n: So I decided that I was going to make this chapter the first of two or three because I want to show as many people's interaction as possible without dragging it out too much. I hope you guys liked this chapter and please take a few seconds to leave a review, I love to you what you guys think - Sarra**


	58. Fallout part 2

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except myimagination and the kids names.**

 **a/n: Thank you so very much to everyone who reviewed on here and on twitter, you guys are AMAZING. Here's the second part of last chater with everyone's interractions with Matt, Enjoy.**

* * *

Kelly parked Boden's truck in front of the house and he faced Christie. "I can tell them if you want to." He watched as she took a deep breath.

"I'll tell them but don't leave my side, I don't think I can do this alone."

"I'm not going anywhere." He leaned over the console and kissed her temple. "Let's go." He got out as she did the same on her side and they walked back up to the front of the house, Christie suddenly stopping in front of the door as if she didn't live here.

"You can do this." She took one more deep breath and opened the door, almost instantly being swarmed by four kids, both Grace and Emma the first to make it to her.

"Where's dad?" Emma asked first.

"And why are you still in your gear uncle Kelly?" Grace noticed.

"Because daddy had an accident on a call." Christie chocked up, hating to have to give the girls this kind of news. Laura arrived shortly after with Valentina in her arms. Kelly's heart broke as tears flooded his goddaughter's eyes.

Laura hadn't heard what had happened but both she and Kelly watched as Luis turned around and ran in the other direction. "I have him." Kelly made long strides and went to search for the young boy. Luis had always been the toughest of the two Ramirez twins and he wasn't expecting this kind of reaction from him. He found him in the kitchen, sitting on the floor with his knees up and his head on his folded arms, crying. "Hey bud." He said gently as he took a seat next to the boy. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"I don't want Matt to go away too." He cried out, lifting eyes full of tears at Kelly. Kelly simply pulled him into his side and let him cry it out a little bit. He had never thought that he'd grow so attached to Matt but he felt like for the first time, Luis was saying what was really on his mind.

"Matt's not going anywhere buddy." He comforted him. "His body is just sleeping so he can get stronger and come back to you guys."

"Are you telling the truth?" He looked up in his eyes as he wiped the tears from his eyes and sniffled.

"Cross my heart." He let his fingers glide across his chest. "If you want, we can go see him at the hospital and maybe you can talk to him, I'm sure he'd like that."

"Do you really think so?"

"I know so. Now come on, let's all go see Matt." He got up and took Luis in his arms, his little arms coming to rest around his neck and his head against his shoulder. He walked back into the front of the house where Christie was hugging both girls and Laura still held onto Valentina, Filippe into her side with his arms wrapped around her waist. They got ready to leave and the decided to take both cars so Kelly could bring Boden his truck back to 51 later.

They parked all three cars next to each other and they all got out, the girls each holding one of Gabby's hands while the boys had Kelly's and Laura held tightly onto Valentina's hand. The elevator ride to the second floor was painfully slow and quiet and when they stepped onto the floor, each set of twin snuggled closer into both adults as if using them for support.

Gabby was still sitting on the uncomfortable chair next to Matt's bed but nothing had changed from when Kelly and Christie had left but deep down, she was hoping that hearing the sound of his daughter's voices would bring him back to them. A nurse had come to check on his while everyone was gone and to make sure that he was comfortable, giving Gabby a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

"Kelly says that he's bringing all five kids." She needed to make conversation even if it was just one sided because the silence was starting to be deafening. "I know they'll be scared but we'll all be there when you wake up and we'll be just fine." Her heart was pumping in her ears because as much as she was trying to tell herself that they were going to be ok, things were still up in the air between them and until she could fix it, she wouldn't be at ease.

Gabby rose to her feet and fixed Matt's blanket that had gone down on his lower legs from her nervousness so she neetly folded it so it would rest on his lower body but she turned around when she heard a sniffle behind her. Kelly was standing there with both Grace and Emma, his hand on their shoulders.

"Grace, Emma." She didn't really know what to tell them but she knew she had to step up right now. She walked to them and made eye contact with Kelly before bending down. "Daddy is sleeping to get better but how about you give him a hug and a kiss to he can get better faster?" Grace was the first to move forward, Emma glued to Kelly's side.

"Am I going to hurt him?" She questionned Gabby.

"If you don't get too excited and go on the other side of the bed, it's going to be just fine." She nodded slowly and walked to Matt's uninjured side of the bed and slowly climbed up. Gabby watched her with teary eyes, not being able to contain herself.

"Please wake up soon daddy." She gently kissed his cheek and wrapped her arms around him, careful not to touch the bandage that she could see though strapped around his mid section. It took Emma a few minutes longer before she detached herself from Kelly's side to go join her sister on the bed next to her father.

"I love you daddy." Gabby could hear the words clearly as Emma whispered them and she noticed Christie appear at Kelly's side and whispered something in his ear before Kelly motionned for Gabby to come talk outside of the room. Christie stayed with her brother and her nieces while Gabby closed the door and spoke with Kelly.

"What's up Severide?" She protectively crossed her arms over her chest, bracing for some bad news.

Kelly noticed the way Gabby held herself and was quick to ease her. "Everything is ok Dawson. I just wanted to talk to you about Luis."

"What's wrong with my son." Her mommy instinct kicked in immediately, her arms falling to her sides and her feet taking a step forward.

"He's ok." He started. "Well physically he's ok but Christie told me that he doesn't want to come upstairs with Laura to see Matt and something happened at the house that I wanted to tell you about."

"What happened?"

"When we came back to the house to tell them that something had happened to Matt, he ran away into the kitchen and when I found him, he was crying." Gabby let him tell her what had happened without interrupting him. "He said that he didn't want Matt to go away too." Gabby's heart instantly broke into tiny little pieces for her son. To her, Luis had never seemed like the one of the two boys that was the most attached to Matt given the attitude he had given him a few times for no good reason but knowing what Matt also meant to her sons made her love their little family even more.

"Where is he?"

"In the lobby with Laura, Filippe and Valentina."

"I've got him. Thanks Kelly." He raised on her tip toes and gave him a kiss on the cheek before going in search of her brood as he went back to Christie and the girls in Matt's room. She decided to take the stairs to clear her head and as soon as she hit the main floor, she didn't have trouble finding them. They were all sitting on a bench, Valentina perched on her aunt's knees with a boy on each side. "Hey." The boys raised their heads at the sound of their mother's voice and the two of them hopped off the bench and went into their mom's tight embrace.

"Is Matt going to be ok?" Was Filippe's first question.

"I'm sure he'll be just fine." She smiled at him, trying not to let him see the doubt in her heart. "Why don't you go see him with auntie Laura and your sister? I need to talk to your brother for a little bit ok?" Filippe nodded and headed to his aunt who had Valentina in her arms. Laura and Gabby exchanged a smile and the three of them made their way towards the elevators. "Talk to me buddy." She sat down next to Luis on the bench.

"Kelly told you didn't he?"

"How about you tell me." She smiled to try to ease him into talking.

"Is Matt going to go away like daddy did?"

"Oh baby, is that what you think?" She pulled him into her.

"Kelly said that Matt got hurt a lot and I saw some blood on his hands."

"Matt's not going anywhere. The doctor said that he's all fixed up and that he is sleeping so his body can get stronger but he's ok I promise." Luis didn't know if he should believe his mom or not. "Why don't you come up to his room and see him for yourself?" He thought about it before nodding and jumping down the bench, pulling on his mom's hand.

"Come on mom." Gabby followed behind him until they made it to the elevators and this time, the elevator ride went by faster and the picture in front of her made tears of joy appear in her eyes. Christie and Kelly had their arm wrapped around each other as they listened to the three kids talk their ears off on the bed next to Matt while Laura was sitting with Valentina and some crayons.

Everyone turned around when Gabby and Luis entered the room and now that all the eyes were on him, Luis held onto Gabby's hand tighter. "It's ok buddy, you can go see him." The other three kids hopped down the bed and gave Luis the space he needed to climb on the bed. He flung himself at Matt's neck.

"I love you Matt, please don't go away." The sob that escaped his little mouth was strangled and Gabby pressed a finger to her cheek as tears started falling down. Luis stayed like that a little longer before pulling away with a sniffle and sliding down the bed.

"Alright everyone. How about we let Matt rest so he can get better faster?" All four kids agreed and they all gave Matt one last hug before Kelly, Christie and Laura gathered the kids and everyone left the room, Gabby closing the door slightly behind her.

"Thanks for taking care of all of them. I don't know how I'd get through this without your help."

"We're family Gabby." Christie took her hand in hers. "That's what we do for each other." And she pulled her into a hug. "Kepp us updated if anything changes?"

"I will, thanks again." Gabby hugged everyone before she did the same to the kids and waited for them to be gone before she walked back into Matt's now quiet room.

"See. I can't do this without you Matt." She sat back down next to him and took his hand in hers. "The kids need you, I need you." She kissed his hand and suddely, she felt it. She sat up straight and looked at the entertwined hands. "Do it again baby." It was undeniable now. Matt's fingers had curled into her own, stronger this time. "That's it baby, open your eyes."

His eyes fluttered open slowly, Gabby never being so happy to see those blue orbs.

"I'm sorry." Were the first words that came out of his mouth.

* * *

 **a/n: So Here it is. I hope you guys enjoyed it and don't forget to leave your thoughts in a review because I love to read your feedbacks - Sarra**


	59. Conversations pt 8

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and the kids names.**

 **a/n: Thanks again to everyone who read and reviewed last chapter, you guys are AMAZING. Now I know that I should be writing for my other stories (sorry Milady I know I promised I'd write for ghosts next) but the ideas keep flowing for this one so I hope you guys will like it as much as the previous ones.**

* * *

Matt's voice was hoarse and a cough followed quickly after. Matt's fingers released their grip from Gabby's and she reached on the table to pour him a glass of water.

"Don't try talking baby, just drink." She pressed the small glass to his lips and he drank small gulps of the cold liquid before Gabby put the glass down. "I'll go get the nurse. As she stood up to leave,Matt's hand took hold of her hand again.

"I'm sorry." He repeated.

"I know baby. It's ok, we can talk about this later." She reluctantly pulled away from him to go straight to the nurse's station. "He's awake." She pressed her palms against the cool countertop, the nurse looking up from what she was writing down.

"I'll page Dr Hasting and he'll come down to examine him. I'm on my way to take his vitals." The nurse stood up and followed Gabby closely behind. "Mr Casey. Glad to see you awake. How are you feeling?" She checked his IV drop to make sure the pouch wasn't empty and looked at the monitor hooked on the wall.

"Hurts." His hand reached for his bandaged side.

"Don't try to touch it, Dr Hastings will be down soon." She smiled at Gabby and left them alone until the doctor came.

"What happened?"

"You don't remember?" She hoped this was just temporary.

"I remember touching the electrical panel and flying backwards and asking the guys to help Severide but after that, it's blank."

"Maybe Kelly will be able to fill in the gaps for you." She sat back down next to him.

"How come it hurts so much?" He remembered the blood trickling down his arm but didn't know what had been affected.

"The rebar hit your kidney so they had to fix it and repair the muscles around it. It'll hurt for a while."

"Does that mean I get to see you in the hot little nurse's outfit and that purple lacy number underneath again?" He smirked, a cough following.

"Slow down cowboy. Let's get you back home first before we talk about that." She smirked, giving him another glass of water to drink.

"Mr Casey." The doctor looked up from Matt's file as he walked into the room.

"When do I get to go home?"

"You're getting ahead of yourself there lieutenant." Dr Hastings chuckled as he inspected the now undressed wound under Matt's hissing. "You'll need to stick around here a few days to make sure the surgical scar heals properly and then you'll be on total bed rest for another few days after you get home and then we'll see you every week until we clear you for full duty."

"How long would that take?" His voice was starting to sound more and more normal every time he used it.

"All of this depends on your body's ability to bounce back."

"It'll bounce back just fine." He insisted, determination clear in his blue eyes.

"For tonight, I suggest that you rest up and I'll come take a look at you in the morning." He patted Matt's leg and then Gabby's shoulder and he left them to the rest of their evening.

"I'm going to call Kelly to tell him you're awake." She pulled out her phone from her pocket but Matt stopped her before she could dial the number.

"We need to talk."

"You just woke up Matt, it can wait." She tried dialling Kelly but Matt stopped her again.

"Actually, Kelly and the kids can wait. We need to talk about what happened the other day."

"You're lucky to be lying down in that bed." She sat back down and put her phone away.

"I'm sorry about being a complete ass to you." He started.

"Matt, we should really focus on getting you better." She tried to deflect again.

"Not until I get this off my chest." Gabby finally caved and listened. "I was a total ass to you and I was way out of line to scream at you at home and at the firehouse."

"Than why did you?" Gabby didn't mean to sound angry and harsh but Matt could read between the lines. Matt stayed silent, trying to organize his thoughts. "Matt." She gained his attention back.

"I didn't want to disappoint you." Gabby felt the wind knocked out of her.

"Why on earth would I be disappointed?" He wasn't making sense and she wanted to know what was going through his head.

"When I met you, you had just gone through something life changing."

"Matt." She protested.

"Please. I need to get this off my chest." Gabby sighed but let him continue. "But you made me feel things I hadn't in a long time and I fell in love with you and your kids and all I wanted was to give you the perfect house because that's what you deserve."

"You don't have to kill yourself from exhaustion to do that Matt."

"I know that now but I just wanted, want, to provide you with everything you need and to have to stop doing everything for everyone else before yourself."

"We have kids Matt, thinking of ourselves comes last."

"It shouldn't have to anymore. I wanted to be able to be the man you needed and the man that's there for the kids." Gabby walked around the bed and went to gently lie down next to him, hovering just over him.

"I want that man to stay alive so we can be what we need for each other and for the kids. I don't need to have the perfect house right away, I want us to be able to build a new home together, no matter how long it takes us. You said it yourself, you want to grow old together." She smirked, thinking about that conversation again.

"Who says I want to grow old with you?" He replied with a smirk of his own, remembering that same conversation.

"You are lucky that you are injured because I feel like hitting you right now."

"Good thing for me then." He smirked, pulling her against his uninjured side. "How were the kids? How's Luis?"

"Luis?"

"Yeah. I felt him close to me earlier. He sounded sad." They always said that unconscious people could hear and feel people around them but until now, she hadn't believed it.

"He's scared you're going to go away like Alberto." She hid her face in the crook of his neck. "When they wheeled you in, I got scared too. Kelly had so much blood on his hands."

"Hey, look at me." She pulled away slightly from him, tears in her eyes. Matt crushed a lone tear with the pad of his thumb. "I'm not going anywhere and I know we've talked about this before but I'll do everything in my power to come back to you and the kids and I was dumb to act the way I did."

"You need to talk to me when something is bothering you Matt. We're in this together and I don't want a stupid fight like that to come between us again."

"I promise." He whispered, leaning down to capture her lips in a tender kiss. He groaned as he took a deep breath after lying back down against the bed.

"Where does it hurt? Do you want me to get a nurse?" She pulled away from him, scared she had been the one to cause him pain.

"No, I'm fine. I think my body is just going to be sore for a while."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. By the way, do you still want to call Kelly tonight?"

"Yes. Everyone was so worried about you and I think Christie will be happy to know that you're awake."

"How is she?"

"Hanging in there I think. Kelly hasn't left her side since he told her."

"I'm glad she has him." Gabby smiled at him and got up to grab her phone before coming back to rest next to him. "The girls were scared too, I could tell but they're being brave probably because they know the risks your job has." She dialled Kelly and put it on speaker. He answered on the first ring. " **Gabby, is something wrong with Matt?"** Gabby could hear the worry in his voice. "No, are the kids asleep and is Christie next to you?" **"The kids are asleep, they were exhausted and so was Christie, she's asleep on the couch."** "Please wake her up and put her on speaker." She could hear Kelly shake Christie through the phone and whisper to her. **"Baby. Gabby's on the phone and she wants to talk to us." "Is Matt ok?"** She heard Christie faintly behind. **"You're on speaker. What's up Gabs?"** "Matt is awake." **"Don't play with us Gabby."** Christie's voice was shaky on the other end. "We're not playing with you guys." It was Matt this time that talked. **"You scared the hell out of us buddy."** "I'm sorry about that. I'll try not doing it again." **"What did the doctors say?"** Christie asked. "How about you guys bring the kids over in the morning and we can talk about it?" **"We'll be there around ten. Rest up ok little brother."** "Don't worry, I have a hot nurse that's taking good care of me. We'll see you in the morning." Christie and Kelly both said their good night's before Matt hung up the phone.

Matt closed his eyes and let out a deep breath. "I'm sorry I put everyone through this." He sighed.

"We're going to be fine. Kelly says you guys saved that man's life so now that you're awake, everything is going to be ok." She promised him. "Are you getting tired?" She noticed his eyes fluttering open and then closing.

"Yeah and the pain is starting to flare in my side."

"Ok I'll be right back with a nurse." She walked back in the room with his nurse and she gave him some medication for the pain and a change of his IV so he would be more comfortable for the night.

"Here you go Mr Casey, this should help you." Gabby thanked her as she left, leaving them alone for the night.

"Stay with me?" He asked as his eyes closed once again.

"I'm not going anywhere." She snuggled closer into him and they both fell asleep, the day's emotions getting the better of them.

Kelly had done one last phone call to chief Boden to give the house the update before he sat in Christie's couch with her snuggled into his side after they had hung up. They hadn't really talked but instead settled into a comfortable silence.

"What are you thinking?"

"Grateful that Matt is awake. Thankful that you're by my side through all of this."

"I wouldn't be anywhere else." He ran his fingers through her hair.

"Move in with me." She looked up at him, a look of shock written on his face. They hadn't seriously talked about moving in together but there she was, asking him to move in with her and Violet. "Kelly, say something." She said after Kelly's silence was getting too much for her.

"Shouldn't I be the one to ask you that?" He finally said

"Well our relationship was never normal so." She shrugged with a smile. "Move in with me."

Kelly chuckled before leaning down and pressing his lips to hers in a hungry kiss. His hand came to cup her cheek as he deepened it, causing her to moan into his mouth and her body to ride up to meet his. They spent a few minutes kissing on the couch before Kelly picked her up in his arms and walked them up to their room for more privacy. They woke up the next morning to running around in the house and although Christie was reluctant to leave his side, they got up before the whole house exploded. They came down to find Luis holding his brother pinned down under him.

"Say you're sorry." Luis pushed Filippe down into the living room carpet, Kelly hurrying to separate them.

"Whoa there you two. Can someone just tell me what's going on?"

"Filippe said that Matt might not wake up." He huffed.

"That's not what I said." Filippe stood behind Kelly.

"Can someone please tell me what's going on?" Christie took a frightened Valentina in her arms.

"Filippe said what if Matt doesn't wake up and Luis just jumped on him." Grace said, tears in her eyes. Kelly looked at Christie and silently agreed that waiting to tell them over breakfast would be disastrous.

"Alright everyone take a seat on the couch." He pointed to the tan couch in the living room.

"What's going on?" Violet came down rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

"Good, you're awake." Christie hugged her daughter. "You should hear this too." She kept her neatly tucked under her arm. "Gabby called us last night." She started.

"Is dad ok?" Emma asked she she slightly moved forward on the couch.

"You're dad is ok and he's awake." The living room broke out in cheers, all the kids getting up from the couch and swarming both adults.

"Calm down everyone. We have to eat before we have to go to the hospital so who wants bacon and eggs?" The kids all ran into the kitchen to wait for the food. Another glance was exchanged between Kelly and Christie and she transferred Valentina to Kelly's arms and they kissed before heading into the kitchen, leaving mother and daughter alone for a little talk.

Violet looked back into the kitchen where Kelly disappeared and looked back at her mother. "Is everything ok mom? Is something wrong with uncle Matt?"

"No. Nothing is wrong with uncle Matt that I know of but they said they'd give us more detail when we got there. No, I want to talk to you about something else." She guided Violet to the couch where they both sat down.

"Is it about Kelly moving in here?" Christie was surprised about her daughter knowing about that.

"Where did you hear that?"

"I heard you ask him when I went to the bathroom last night. I'm ok with it mom." She smiled.

"You're not mad at me for not talking to you about it?"

"I figured he was already moved in here since he's always here." She chuckled. If Christie was being really honest, it already felt like Kelly was living with them.

"I guess you're right." She chuckled too. The two got up and hugged before joining the others at the dinner table. Violet grabbed a plate and Kelly filled it up with food and they exchanged a glance before he ruffled her hair under some protest and everyone ate and got ready to get to the hospital in time.

Matt woke up to some extra weight on his side but he smiled when he saw the reason for it. "Wake up sleeping beauty." He whispered in Gabby's ear before pressing his lips to her forehead. She shifted at his side and her eyes fluttered opened, her fists coming to rub the sleep out of them.

"Morning." She smiled before realizing she was almost on top of him. "I'm sorry, did I hurt you?"

"No, I missed having you there. How'd you sleep?"

"Shouldn't I be the one asking you this?" She chuckled. "Knowing that you were ok and awake, I slept perfectly, you?"

"How can I not sleep good when I have a beautiful woman sleeping in my arms?"

"The two of you are so sweet." The two looked up to see Nathalie, Gabby's boss standing in the doorway. "I'm glad you're awake Matt." She smiled at him.

"I'm sorry for putting you into trouble for shift." Gabby said, blushing with embarrassment.

"Nonsense. You're right where you should be. I'm just glad everything worked out fine between you two."

"Everything is perfect thanks." Gabby laid back down against Matt.

"I've got to get back but I'm happy to see you vertical. Keep me posted on when you come back." She waved at them before she even had a chance to answer.

"I've seriously got the best boss." She exhaled.

"And she's easy on the eyes." Shay appeared in the doorway, eyeing behind her at Nathalie, making Gabby chuckle.

"Tell that to her husband." Gabby laughed harder before turning serious. "What are you doing here, don't you have shift?" She looked at the time and it was around seven thirty, thirty minutes before shift ended.

"Just dropped off a victim and came to see if Kelly was telling the truth." She walked in the room, gently hugging Matt without hurting him. "You had us worried there." She kissed his cheek.

"Sorry."

"And this means the two of you talked?" Gabby hid in Matt's side only it made Matt chuckle.

"Yeah, we're good." He poked Gabby in the side, making her giggle.

"And do the kids know you're awake?"

"They probably do by now. Christie said that she'd bring them by later with Kelly."

"That's great. I got to run but I'm sure most of the house will be there after shift is over. I'll see you two later."

"Later Shay." Casey said as she left, an orderly coming in with a food tray.

"Here's some food Mr. Casey. The nurse says she'll be by soon." And he left. As promised, a new nurse came in a few minutes later.

"Not quite liking our food Mr Casey?" She chuckled as Matt poked at his toast.

"Not what I like best." He huffed at what was supposed to be cereal but really looked like sticky goo.

"I'll try to find you some toast but you have to eat something if you want to get out of here in a few days." She laughed before leaving on her breakfast mission.

"When Kelly and Christie get here I'll sneak out for a shower and I'll bring you back some real food." She kissed him but they were interrupted by yet someone else, or to be more precise several someone else's.

"Can we join the party?" They looked up to find five kids looking up at them, the two adults smirking.

"The more the merrier." Matt smiled. Both girls were the first to jump on the bed and hug him, Matt fighting through the pain in his side so he could hold his girls. Everyone took turns to hug him until the last one left was Luis who had stayed glued to the door. "Hey buddy." He patted the spot on the bed next to him and Luis didn't have to be asked twice before hopping on the bed, flinging his arms around Matt's neck. "It's ok Luis." That was all if too for the damn to break, the little boy crying in Matt's chest. Matt rubbed his back and let him get everything out before he sat him back up under Gabby's protests to take it easy.

"I thought you were going to go up in heaven like daddy." This broke Matt's heart into tiny pieces.

"I'm not going anywhere." He ruffled his hair.

"Promise?"

"Promise." He offered his fist and Luis connected his little one to it. " And when I get out of there, we'll finish your room and we'll build the tree house."

"Getting a little ahead of ourselves are we Lieutenant Casey." It was the same doc as the night before, probably finishing his rounds.

"Maybe." He chuckled.

"Alright, I'd ask you please to leave the room while I examine Mr. Casey." He didn't mind all of these people in the room but he preferred a little bit of quiet while he checked his patient out. As everyone exited the room, firehouse 51 walked into the waiting room.

"How's Casey doing?" Boden was leading the group.

"He's doing great actually and Luis just gave me an idea but I'll need some help to get it done."

"You name it and it's done." The two spoke away from the ears surrounding the room so it wouldn't come back to Matt's and most of 51 were on board to help with the special project. Everyone returned home after finding out that Matt had fallen asleep, leaving their friend to rest up and get better, giving them time to put their plan in action.

* * *

 **a/n: Ok so I wasn't planning on such a longer chapter but I had a lot of things to fit into here and I hope you liked it. As always, your reviews are always welcome and I can't wait to get your feedback and stay tuned to find out what the special project is. - Sarra**


	60. Top Secret

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and the kids names.**

 **a/n: Thanks to all you amazing people who took the time to write a review for last chapter. A special shout out to a guest from Switzerland who wrote a beautiful review and as long as you guys want me, I'm more than willing to write 60 more chapters to this story ;) Now I'm really not sure about this particular chapter but I want to thank Whitney and Emily who constantly let me bounce ideas off of them and that shut my insecurities up sometimes.**

* * *

Over the next few days, Kelly went over his idea of a special top secret project for Matt's return home, even enlisting Antonio and Boden into his crazy plan.

"So what exactly is the plan here Severide?" Antonio looked around to make sure no one was looking as both he, Kelly and Boden stood in front of the new house his sister and her boyfriend had bought.

"Ok so Matt told Luis that when he'd get out of the hospital that he'd finish their rooms and build the tree house but I know that there's still a few things that need some work inside the house and I figured that we could all pitch in and finish everything before he get's out of there."

"And why are we breaking into their house Severide?" Boden gave him a funny look. "Couldn't you have asked Gabby for a spare key?"

"I thought that we could surprise them both with the finished product. I figured that we could look what is left to do in there and do the rest of it. What do you guys think?"

"You're lucky I'm well connected because otherwise we'd get into trouble for breaking and entering."

"Well technically it's not breaking and entering if you know who's house it is." Boden prompty laughed at his lieutenant, seeing no real logic in what he was saying.

"Stop finding a way around it Kelly and let's get this done." Antonio gave one last look around them before he used his tools to get inside the house without a key. They removed their shoes and walked through the house, starting to the upper floors. Almost everything was done up there so they wouldn't have to do much of anything except add things both Antonio and Boden had promissed.

"Oh, I got what I promised Matt for the boys room." Antonio said.

"The same for me, it came in during last shift."

"That's perfect then." Then they walked onto the main floor where once again where everything was done.

"There isn't anything left to be done here." Antonio eyes the rooms.

"This was the first floor Matt worked on but I think there's nothing done in the basement and Matt was talking about making two rooms down there for when the twins would want their own rooms down the line."

"That makes a lot of sense. Let's go see if something is done at all down there." Boden led the other two men as they walked down the stairs only to find that walls had already been mounted, leaving the electricity and the drywall left to close them up, leaving a big enough room for the playroom. Antonio also walked into a three piece bathroom.

"Damn, did Matt sleep at all?" He looked back at the two men.

"That's exactly why they got into a fight in the first place." Kelly pointed out. "She was saying that he was wearing himself too thin by working here almost every day he was off at the firehouse."

"I'd be angry too." Boden said. "No wonder he was being recklace."

"So basically we have this basement to finish up and the tree house outside right?"

"That sounds about right." Sevride nodded.

"So got any plans on who can help us with all of this?" Antonio pointed at the almost empty space.

"Well Mouch does electricity and I can take care of the drywall, Capp or Joe might be able to help there so we can go faster."

"I can work on the tree house." Antonio offered.

"I can help too and I'm pretty sure that Herrmann would be up to the task." Boden pitched in.

"That would be perfect and whoever wants to help is welcome. Now all we need to figure out is move all of the stuff in here without them knowing it?" That was the trickier part in this whole crazy plan.

"What about planning a day at Christie's place, I'm sure she'd be more than happy to help occupy them." Kelly hadn't thought about asking Christie to help them out but that was actually a perfect idea. They could get Matt on a day where he has therapy and then spend the day at the house with all the kids and Violet, that could definitely work.

"I'll run this by her but I'm sure she'd be more than happy to plot this with me."

"Ok so we have a plan." Boden smiled. "I can talk to the house on next shift and you can talk to Christie about it in the meanwhile."

"Alright, let's get out of here before someone calls the cops on us." Antonio turned and started to walk back up the stairs. They left the house, making sure it was locked from the Inside and they went their separate ways. Kelly knew that Matt still hadn't been discharged from the hospital so he knew that going back to his place to talk it over with Christie was safe right now so that's what he did.

Matt was sitting on the side of the hospital bed, trying to shift so he could put some weight on the leg on his good side, no one in sight to help him. He was tired of lying down on the bed and frustration was starting to rise. He knew Gabby was supposed to come back soon and he could have waited for his lack of patience was evident. He grunted as his foot hit the tiled floor, an electric shock moving up from his toes to his hip.

"Are you looking to be stuck in here longer?" Gabby rushed to give him a hand, annoyance evident in her tone.

"I couldn't stay lying there anymore." He sighed.

"I know it's not easy being in here and not being able to move around the way you want to but your stubborness has gotten you in enough trouble so far. Please ask for some help." She pleaded, helping him to sit down on the chair in the far corner of his room.

"I'm sorry." He rubbed his sore side.

"Are you in pain? Do you want some more meds?" She looked at him concerned.

"Doesn't hurt as bad anymore. I guess my body is getting used to it. How are the kids?" He changed the subject.

"They're great. My parents are looking after them with Laura an Luis says he has a surprise for you." She smiled, sitting on the bed.

"How's he doing?"

"Better. Seeing you awake gave him more energy. Did the doctor come by yet?"

"No. Julie says that he'll be by early afternoon. I hope he has good news."

"So it's Julie huh?" She said, a teasing glint in her tone.

"She has nothing on you I promise. Come here." She slid down the bed and came to sit on his lap.

"Sweet talking your way out of it huh?" She wrapped her arm around his neck.

"Everybody knows your my girl." He rubbed his nose against hers and kissed her.

"Eeewwww." Matt chuckled and turned around, the kids huddled around the door to his room.

"Mark my words, in a few years, you won't be saying that." All the kids came in quietly, Gabby's parents and Laura behind them, Gabby getting off of his lap so the kids could hug him. Once all the hugging was done, the kids started talking louder and soon it became too much for the small room.

"Alright the four of you, you need to be quiet so Matt can rest." Edouardo's voice was even and he didn't need to scream for the kids to immediately lower their voices.

"We made some drawings dad." Grace bounced his way with a giant rainbow on a sheet of paper.

"And I know exactly where I'm going to put them." He bent down and pulled her on his lap, Gabby's body moving forward out of habit to help lessen the weight on his still tender body. She knew the burns on his arm still stung and she didn't want him to be in pain but he gave her a smile and a wink so she knew he was fine. All the kids took turn to show him their drawing and they did small talk until everyone left again, leaving Matt and Gabby alone again.

"Are you ok?" Matt had done a lot of moving in the short time the kids had been there.

"I'm good. The pain isn't really as bad as it was before, I can manage it."

"Are you sure?"

"Gabby." He chuckled. "You're doing it again baby."

"I'm sorry." She blushed. "I just don't want you to be in pain and I know how stubborn you are and you probably won't admit it."

"I think I'm over that. I promise I'll tell you if I don't feel ok. I just hope that I can get out soon."

"We'll see how you're healing first." The surgeon said as he walked into Matt's room with his chart.

"I feel fine doc."

"Feeling fine and being fine is two different things Matt. Let's take a look first ok?" They both helped him back on the bed and the doc lifted his gown up and gently pulled on the new dressing the nurse had put earlier in the morning, a much smaller one than when he was all bandaged up the day following thr surgery. "It's a bit more red than I'd like it to be but it seems like it's healing properly."

"He lifted the kids up earlier, could that be a reason why it's redder now?" Gabby asked, looking from Matt to the doctor.

"Well we recommend a minimum of strenuous activities but in this case, that's not likely but I'd like to keep you another couple of days at least with an IV to lower the swelling a bit more before I send you back home but I think we can also get you to see the PT just to see the kind of exercises you can do."

"Would I have to come for PT once I'm out?" He clearly didn't want to come back at the hospital unless it was for a surgical follow-up.

"No. I just want you to meet with them so your body doesn't lose tonus by not doing anything." He closed the dressing again and proceeded in looking at the burn on his arm, finding the burns healing properly. "This will leave a minimum of damage and once both your side and your arms are healed up, there should be no problem to clear you for duty."

"That's something I like to hear."

"But please tell him he won't be able to do any kind of renovation of any kind for a while."

"I highly recommend you avoid that for now so you don't full anything the wrong way. I don't think you want to have a recovery setback."

"I don't."

"Maybe this time you'll listen to doctor's orders." She teased, the doctor laughing at them.

"If you have anymore questions, feel free to ask to page me but I'll swing by later tonight."

"Thanks a lot doc." He wrote a few things down on the chart and left again.

"Please tell me you brought me some clothes because I'm fed up of wearing this blue gown."

"I have everything you need in here." She chuckled. She helped him change and they spent the rest of the evening together until it was time to go home, visiting hours being over. The doctor came back later in the evening as promissed and they chatted about what Matt would need to look for once he was back home and then he left Matt to rest up.

The following day, it was back to work for everyone else at Firehouse 51 and Boden used the pre-shift meeting to enlist a few people from the house to help with their top secret project for the Casey and Dawson's new house.

"We're going to need your help to set all of this up for when Matt goes home and recovers."

"How do we do that without them knowing it?" Otis asked the question everyone had on their minds.

"We know that the doctors gave him a strict no contracting work order yesterday so that'll give us the oportunity to work without him being suspiscious of anything." Severide said from the back of the room.

"And I talked to Gabby's parents and they'll invite them and the kids over at the lake for the week-end and that's when we'll move everything to their place. So when they come back, we'll just come up with something to bring them to the new address instead." Shay smirked next to Severide, both of them pretty happy with the plotting they had done with Christie and Gabby's folks.

"Alright everyone, let's get to work and we can figure out scheduling during shift." Everyone stood up and left the conference room, going in different directions.

Between calls, most of the members of the house were trying to figure out when they'd go to the new house during their next 48 hours and who would do what, trying to organize everything as quickly as possible. Christie came by and made lunch for everyone, giving them an update and the spare key to the house she told Kelly Matt had just given her a few days back.

Everyone was exhausted once shift was over and after getting a few hours of sleep, they headed in small groups to Matt's house to start getting the work done. They were lucky that Matt had already bought all the material they needed, saving them some precious time in the process. They seperated and started to get to work on the basement and the tree house, doing as much work as they could before nightfall, everyone going back home to get some much needed extra rest.

Matt woke up on the second extra day, happy to find Gabby snuggled in his side, not noticing when she had squeezed herself there the night before. Today he was getting his walking papers after breakfast since he had already met with the PT the evening before.

"Morning." She mumbled.

"Good morning." He leaned down and gently kissed her lips.

"So today's the day huh?" She smiled up at him.

"Today's the day." He repeated with a smile of his own.

"I packed all your things last night and there's the wheelchair waiting for you too."

"And some crutches."

"I can't wait to see you move around the house in those." She chuckled.

"Laugh all you want lady but you're the one who's stuck with me." He grinned. Breakfast came at 8 and as soon as he was done eating the toast, both him and Gabby deciding on breakfast at their favourite place, just the two of them before going home was the way to go.

While the kids were waiting for them with balloons and decorations at the old house, most of 51 were finishing up the treehouse and the four girls were putting the finishing touches on the playroom in the basement.

The first afternoon back home was hard for Matt since he had to move around a lot in the house and navigating those stairs was hard for him even though Gabby tried to do most of the things for him. Her parents had been a great help in taking care of the kids that day and both Gabby and her mother prepared dinner for the whole house, everyone sitting down to eat at six sharp.

"You must be glad to be back Matt. esmeralda smiled at him as he sat down.

"I am. I hate being in hospitals for too long."

"Well you know what to do then don't you." Gabby smirked.

"I promise I'll behave from now on." He leaned to the side and kissed her on the cheek.

"Why don't you come to the lake this week end, it'll help you take it easy, we can take care of the kids." Edouardo added.

"I haven't been to the lake in a long time. You're going to love it over there babe."

"I'm in then." They all ate and Gabby was helped again by her parents in getting the kids ready for bed, Gabby insisting that Matt stay on the couch and take it easy.

Later that night, Matt laid in bed, Gabby getting ready in the bathroom. "How are you feeling?" She asked from their door as she was applying lotion on her arms.

"Tired." He was shirtless to avoid the friction a shirt would add to his side, his fingers tracing the wound over the bandage. "But I can't wait to get to the lake. I think a change of air will be good for us." He watched her walk towards him and sit on her side of the bed, pulling the covers over her legs.

"It's great there, you'll be able to relax more."

"But you won't. You'll be taking care of all five of them again."

"Matt it's fine, my parents will help me and I know you'll be back on your feet in no time. Please don't overthink this." She propped herself up on her elbow, resisting the urge to snuggle against him.

"I swear you're too good for me Gabriella Dawson." He pushed past the sting he was feeling in his side as he turned to kiss her.

"We're a team, that's how it's supposed to be." They spent the evening quietly in bed until Matt fell asleep from exhaustion, a hand protectively over his side.

Tomorrow they would pack for a few days and head over to Gabby's parents lake house, hoping that time away was what Matt needed to heal faster.

TBC

* * *

 **a/n: Alright so I know that this is yet another two part chapter but I was struggling to write some quality stuff and I didn't want to post crap so I'm splitting this in two, hope you guys aren't mad about that. As always, please take a few minutes to write your thoughts down in a review, that always helps me. - Sarra**


	61. Top secret pt 2

**Disclaimer : I own nothing except my imagination and the kids names.**

 **a/n: Thanks to everyone who left on the review on the last chapter and I hope you guys like this second part of it.**

* * *

As everyone from 51 was getting ready to head home after a heavy shift on Friday morning, Matt, Gabby and their whole brood was heading towards the lake, hoping to soak in some quiet time away from the city.

Gabby brought all the suitcases out by the car before she put them in herself, Matt clearly not liking this. "Gabby, you shouldn't be doing all of this by yourself." He huffed as he made it down the stairs of the house.

"You can't exactly do any lifting Matt, it's fine." She put the last of the things in there and closed the door.

"I hate this." He grumbled as he helped Valentina buckle up in her seat.

"I know Matt but you'll be all healed up soon and you'll be able to do all of this again." She walked back to him where he was struggling to settle in the truck. "Let me help you." She helped him lift his lower body up into the truck and he sat up straighter, Gabby closing the door and jumping in the driver's seat. "You're going to be just fine Matt." She leaned across the middle console to kiss him under a slew of eewww's coming from the back of the truck, both of them laughing.

"Alright, who's ready for the lake?" He turned to look at the kids as they cheered.

"It'll be good for them too." She patted his leg before she started driving. The drive was about an hour long, Valentina, Grace and Luis asleep in their seat while Emma and Filippe were playing a game. Esmeralda and Edouardo were already waiting for the by the time they arrived, helping Gabby get everything out of the car. Matt easily slid down from the truck and onto his good leg with the help of his crutches. He tried to take one of the bags but was having so much trouble with it that Emma ran his way.

"Let me help you daddy."

"Thanks Em." He ruffled her hair before she bounced off towards the cabin. He hated that he needed all this help, specially from the kids but he hobbled inside on his crutches. He helped the kids settle themselves in the room and then he went to the room that would be his and Gaby's for the next two days where he found her unpacking their bags.

"Hey babe, how's your side feeling after the car ride?" She looked at him with a smile as he sat down on the bed to take a few breaths.

"My side's fine but maybe it wasn't a good idea for me to come this week-end, I'm totally useless."

"You're not useless, where is this coming from Matt?" She stopped what she was doing to take a seat next to him.

"I couldn't even bring one bag in Gabby, Emma had to help me bring it in. That's pretty useless if you ask me." He looked at the ground.

"Matt." She gently placed a hand on his cheek and made him look at her. "You got hurt Matt. You can't expect to be back on your feet right away. We came here to relax and for the kids to have some fun. Don't beat yourself up over this."

"I'm sorry I put you in this position."

"We talked about this before Matt, it's fine. We'll get through this. Why don't you come with us by the lake, the kids are starting to make a rukus in the living room." Matt listened and chuckled as the kids were getting steadily more noisy.

"Alright. We wouldn't want them to start breaking things at your parents cabin."

"No we wouldn't." Gabby changed before giving Matt a hand to get back up on his feet and they went to get the kids that were running around in circles in the living room where her parents were trying to calm them down.

Matt watched as Gabby took the kids by the lake, leaving him on the deck with her dad. "How are you feeling son?" Edouardo asked as he watched Matt move uncomfortably in his chair.

"Apart from the fact that I have no real position where I'm comfortable, I'm good."

"I hope this serves as a lesson." Matt suddely looked at his future father-in-law, not sure what he was getting to.

"I'm sorry?" He tried his best to sit straighter.

"Gabriella talked with her mother about the fight that the two of you had before all of this happened."

"I was stupid to push her away that day but all I wanted was to give them a good home so we could stop living in close quarter in the house we're in."

"You can't push a good home Matt. Gabby's not going anywhere, I hope you know that."

"I do but she deserves everything and I was just trying to do good by that. This won't happen again." He had done a few reckless things in the past and more so before the girls were born, no real consequences other to himself and he had been far more careful since having them but since meeting Gabby and her kids, all he could see was their future in that house and it had blinded him recently, causing the fight and the subsequent accident, leaving him in these crutches.

"You're a good man Matt and I know that the job you do is dangerous and it has its risks of injury but Gabby has gone through too much and I couldn't stand for her to be hurt again."

"And I would never do anything to intentionally hurt her, I love her too much."

"I'll hold you to that Matt." Matt nodded and simply went back to watching the kids swim with Gabby and her mom, Edouardo doing the same. The kids stayed in the water for about another half hour before it was time to get out and put Valentina down for a nap while the kids ate a snack.

Matt helped in the kitchen for dinner because that was the easiest job he could do sitting down and when everything was ready, they sat down to eat, having their first real quiet moment of the day as the kids stuffed their face with food. The kids played a board game in the living room while the adults cleaned the kitchen and they were soon taken away to get cleaned up and ready for bed. Gabby's parents didn't stay up very late and they left the younger couple alone for a little bit. They stayed quietly wrapped into each other's arms in front of the fire until Gabby spoke up.

"I'm sorry about my dad." She looked up at him. He didn't look at her immediately but when he did a smile was on his face.

"I deserved every bit of it and he's just looking out for you." He kissed her forehead.

"Still, he shouldn't have said those things."

"If a boy did something like that to either Emma or Grace, I'd have done the same thing and I'm pretty sure Alberto would have done the same for Valentina. I promise it won't happen again."

"I just want you to be safe out there Matt and come home to us. The rest, we can deal with it together." She pushed herself up a bit and kissed him. It started slowly but as soon as Matt ran his fingers through her hair, it heated up and Gabby had to control herself because she'd be straddling him but she had to be careful otherwise they wouldn't be able to be intimate for even longer. They enjoyed the little quiet time they had until Matt yawned and Gabby helped him to their room and into bed, the two snuggling closer before falling asleep.

The next morning, Kelly, Christie and Violet went to get the moving truck and met up with pretty much everyone from 51 was waiting to empty Matt and Gabby's old house, getting everything ready for when they would return from their week end at the lake to their new house completed. With everyone there giving a hand, the house was quickly emptied and then everybody drove to the new house to unload everything there. Violet helped to finish the decorating in the kids room and added something that she had done herself in each room. Pizza was ordered for everyone for a late lunch before they finished putting everything in the house, Matt and Gabby scheduled to come back later that evening, Gabby having shift in the morning.

Everybody stood in the kitchen as the last pieces were taken in the kids rooms before they made sure that everything was clean and in its place before they did their final phone call.

"I just texted my parents to say that we're done and all we need to do now is give Gabby a call and put our plan in motion." Antonio smirked.

"Do you think they'll buy it?" Kelly wasn't so sure that particular plan would work.

"Oh they'll buy it." He pressed on the number one speed dial and waited for his sister to pick up.

Gabby heard her phone ringing somewhere in the distance while the kids playing tag and she shuffled things around in her purse, sure she had put it in there. "Damn it, what did I do with my phone?" She growled.

"Language baby." Matt smirked as he made his way towards her, eying the object in her back pocket. "Is this what you're looking for?" He pulled it out of there, Gabby turning when she felt tugging on her back pocket. "It's Antonio."

"Hey Tonio, what's up?" **We have a problem down here Gabs.** "Antonio." She warned. "Is everyone ok, is anyone hurt?" **No but I'm on my way to your new house, there's been a call about a break-in.** "What? What do you mean a break-in? Is anything missing?" She looked at Matt with frantic eyes as she heard her parents moving around trying to get the kids things ready. **I'll know more as soon as I get there but is there any way that you can come back here as quickly as possible?** "Uh yeah, mom and dad are packing the kids stuff right now." **Please make it quick Gabs.** "We'll be there as soon as we can. Thanks Tonio." She hung up, her heard suddenly in her throat.

"What did Antonio say?"

"He says that he's on his way over there but he wants us to come as soon as possible."

"The kids things are all ready and in the car dear." Esmeralda told her. They were lucky that they had started packing after they had eaten breakfast so the move now was quick.

"Thanks so much mom. I'm sorry we have to leave so quickly."

"We're going back with you." Edouardo put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I'm sure everything is fine and that Antonio will catch the people who did that." She nodded, needing to believe that their new home hadn't been damaged.

They got all the kids in the truck, each a different question to ask about their things but Matt tried to reassure them as much as he could during the drive back into town. Gabby was in such a state that she didn't notice the cars that were on the street around her house. She parked the car and she and Matt met up with Antonio in front of the house.

"What does it look like in there?"

"Most of the damage was done in the basement and in the yard but Matt, you'll probably be able to say more about what it means for you guys."

"Let's go have a look." Matt started going up the stairs with his crutches, Gabby, Antonio, their parents and the kids behind. They walked through the living room and down the stairs to the unfinished basement. In a sense, Matt was glad that he hadn't had time to finish it because otherwise it would hurt even more to know that it had been trashed. He turned on the lights that led down there and he slowly started making his way down but neither one of them were ready for what was waiting for them.

"SURPRISE!" Everyone shouted as Matt turned on the lights. Their whole families were standing in what Matt noticed to be a completely finished basement.

"ANTONIO!" Gabby yelled and she repeatedly hit him on the arm. "HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?" She kept on screaming at him.

"I'm sorry baby sis." He tried to protect himself as best as he could under her assault as he laughed, happy to have fooled her.

"You guys did all of this?" Matt went in farther with his crutches.

"We figured that you guys deserved it after everything that's been going on." Christie hugged her brother. They let them move around the basement, the two new rooms empty but finished and the playroom full of toys and storage units so the kids could put all of their things away. Matt slowly started going up as everyone did the same, everyone separating to find out what was new for them. The kids were excited about their new rooms that were now fully furnished and Valentina was specially excited about her new princess themed room.

"There's one last surprise for everyone out back." Kelly clapped Matt on the shoulder as he made it up the stairs. The kids rushed down the stairs and into the yard where they saw what was waiting for them, Matt and Gabby only hearing high pitched squeals from upstairs. Everyone made their way back down and towards the back of the house where the yard was waiting with a brand new tree house. As Matt and Gabby made it to the back, the kids were already up in the tree and away from sight, giving the adults some time to mingle together.

Everyone left early since everyone had shift in the morning and for Matt and Gabby to try and put their excited brood to bed. Once the house was finally quiet, they retreated to their own oasis, Matt needing to rest his body after all the effort the house visit had taken him.

"I can't believe our families did this for us." She came back out of their en-suite, putting cream on her hands.

"It's pretty amazing. We can finally start that new adventure now."

"All we have to do now is sell the old house." She settled in bed next to him.

"I'll give Nate a call in the morning." He kissed her.

"Today was great."

"The best. Now all I need to do is get back on my feet and we'll be all set." He pulled her against his side and lowered them against the mattress. "I love you."

"I love you too baby." They kissed again, falling asleep soon after. Even though Matt had his recovery to focus on, they were moving forward together in this new house with their little family and life was good.

* * *

 **a/n: So here's the second part of the secret project and I hope that you guys enjoyed how it ended. Please take a few seconds to review before you go, I always love to hear your thoughts - Sarra**


	62. Fun

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and the kids names.**

 **a/n: Thanks to everyone that read and reviewed last chapter. I know that I haven't posted in a really long while but I have been really sick for the past week end a half, not being able to do much of anything but that's only one of the reasons I haven't been able to write. I've also gotten a bad case of writer's block but I've gotten a lot of help from my extended ChiFi family on twitter (you ladies know who you are) so thanks to all of you for letting me bounce my ideas off of you. For everyone who writes down ideas in reviews, know that I keep all of those in mind but until then, enjoy this one.**

* * *

It had been a few days since Matt and Gabby had gotten surprised by their whole family and friends with their new house. The old one was for sale and they were waiting for some good news but in the meantime, Matt had agreed to spend the night at Christie's at Violet's request and the girls had agreed to spend the evening with Gabby at the house, wine and all.

"So how's Matt doing?" Shay asked as she grabbed the wine bottle with four glasses and headed for the living room.

"He's doing better. The pain in his side is pretty much gone and the docs say he'll do a full recovery." Gabby took the glass of wine that she was being handed.

"So he'll be back on his feet soon, that's good to hear." Brett added.

"So Gabby, you pretty much got the jackpot with Matt." Laura deviated the subject as they made it to the living room.

"He's been so good to me and the kids." She gushed. "It hasn't always been easy but just watching him with the boys and Valentina, it just makes my heart melt."

"Well if I judge by that beautiful room of yours, I'd say he's more than good to you, if you know what I mean." Shay wiggled her eyebrows, everyone else laughing, Gabby turning pink.

"I never thought I'd find this kind of hapiness after Alberto." She took a sip of wine before continuing. "But bumping into Matt at the pier that day has given me everything I could hope for."

"Do you think he'll ask you to marry him?" The living room finally fell silent as both the girls and Gabby registered what Brett was just asking.

"I think I'm ready." Gabby whispered, a tiny smile forming on her lips, a light blush creeping on her cheeks too. "But my family is very traditional and Matt would have to ask my dad first."

"Trust me. That boy loves you so much that he'd walk through fire for you. I'm pretty sure he can survive a little talk with Edouardo Dawson." Shay snickered, eyeing Brett and keeping this conversation as a mental note for later use. Shay poured Gabby another glass as the girls changed the subject and gossipped for a good part of the evening.

When Matt made it to his sister's house, Violet barely let him inside the house that she was hanging from his neck. "Thanks for coming uncle Matt." She beamed.

"Are you kidding me? I haven't seen you since my accident and Gabby's having a girl's night at home so it's just you and me kiddo." He set her down on the floor and they made their way into the kitchen where the sight in front of them made Violet screach and Matt to shield her eyes. "Come on guys, there are kids in the room." Christie and Kelly nearly jumped out of their skin, now standing next to each other, Christie blushing furiously while Kelly started chuckling.

"What are you doing here Matt?" Matt finally removed his hand from Violet's eyes and laughed.

"I have a date with my niece. Remember? You planned it." Christie suddenly became quiet, her eyes lowering to the floor, Kelly clearly not able to keep his laughter in.

"Kelly." She suddenly growled under her breath, a quick slap against his abs, stopping him mid laugh.

"Sorry." He straightened up. "So what's the plan tonight?"

"Movies and pop corn, isn't that right Vi?" Matt pulled her closer against him.

"Picked the movies out already." She grinned at Kelly this time. "Want to watch with us Kelly?"

"You're mom and I are going to let you and uncle Matt spend some time together. We can watch movies whenever you want." Violet nodded with a smile and Matt finally took her away to the living room where she put the first dvd in. They settled on the couch with a bowl of pop corn in her lap and she snuggled close to Matt who had his legs propped up on the table.

"Am I hurting you uncle Matt?" She pulled herself away a little bit to look at him.

"No. My side is all good." He pulled back into him and the previews started. "Looks like things are going great with Kelly." He didn't want to ask Christie because he knew that she wouldn't tell him and for one of the rare times in his life, Kelly was keeping his relationship private.

"They are. I don't think I remember seeing mom so happy."

"What about you? Still want to do what we talked about before?" Knowing Violet was happy was just as important for him as his sister so he needed to know that both were in a good place.

"Yes." She looked up at him. "I talked about it some more with mom and Kelly's been a lot of help too so I want to do it. Mom just wants me to wait until I'm thirteen."

"Your mom just wants you to be happy."

"I know and deep down, I think I've always known that I've been a real Casey so I don't mind waiting."

"That's my girl." He smiled at her before the opening credits brought them back to their date night. They watched two movies before Violet fell asleep against his shoulder half way through the third. He pressed pause and gently shifted so he could scoop her up and bring her to her room upstairs. He put her in bed and tucked her in and made his way back downstairs. He found Christie and Kelly on the balcony, her feet propped up on his legs and Kelly with a beer in his hands.

"I just tucked Vi in her bed." He leaned against the house.

"You don't have to stay the night Matt, I'm sure she'd understand."

"I promised her french toast in the morning." He shrugged.

"I'll go get the guest room ready then." Kelly patted her leg before she took them down from his lap and went inside, giving Matt's arm a squeeze and smiled before disappearing inside.

"Do you want one?" Kelly raised his bottle.

"No I'm good but I want to say thanks." Matt took the seat that Christie had vacated moments before, Kelly giving him a curious look. "I talked with Violet before the first movie started. She says she hasn't seen my sister so happy and word is you've given Violet a few words of advice too."

"I love your sister Matt and I'm still sorry for the way you found out about it but she's the best thing that's happened to me in a long while and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to keep it that way. And for Violet, I know that she means the world to you and if I can do anything to keep her a happy teen, that's exactly what I'll do."

"We've all made mistakes Kelly but I see the way you are with them and they've been through rough things in the past few years and just the fact that they've managed to have a new start and be happy now, part of it is because of you so thanks." Matt extended his hand and Kelly gladly shook it. No extra words were added and Kelly took a sip of his beer before Christie came back from the house.

"The room is ready." She smiled at her brother.

"Thanks Chris." He stood up. "I'll catch you guys in the morning." He kissed her cheek and went back inside to catch a few extra hours of sleep, leaving them alone to enjoy the rest of their quiet evening.

"Everything ok?" She asked as she took a seat on Kelly's lap, her arms snaking around his neck.

"Everything is perfect." He smiled at her but looked back into the house where Matt had disappeared. "Just being Matt. Making sure you and Violet were happy." He pushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

"And that has everything to do with you." She leaned down and kissed him. He put his beer down and wrapped an arm around her waist and his other hand came to rest against her cheek as he deepened it. The kiss heated up as Kelly's tongue slipped through Christie's lips once again.

"How about we take this upstairs?." He whispered as they breathlessly stopped kissing.

"I like how you think Kelly Severide." She giggled as he scooped her up in his arms. His lips reclaimed hers as he took her up the stairs into their room where they indeed enjoyed the rest of their evening.

Matt woke up to dead quiet coming from inside his sister's house. It didn't happen very often nowadays that he was aloud to wake up when his body had enough rest that he welcomed it this particular morning. He knew that the wouldn't be up right away but Matt made his way down into the kitchen to get everything ready for breakfast. It didn't take very long for Violet to come down the stairs while Matt was cooking the bacon.

"Morning uncle Matt." She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and sat down at the breakfast bar.

"Morning. How did you sleep?" He asked as he started the french toast.

"Really good. Thanks for bringing me up in my bed. When did I fall asleep?" She asked as Matt chuckled, giving her a full plate.

"Half way through the third movie." She mumbled something as she put a forkful in her mouth.

"You're welcome."

"Smells good in here." Christie made an appearance in the kitchen, her robe tightly wrapped around her body. Matt didn't have time to answer before Kelly came in.

"I didn't know you could cook." He teased, earning a hand towel by the head.

"I'll eat this then." He pulled the plate away from Kelly's grasp as he chuckled.

"No no, that's fine." Everyone laughed as Matt gave Kelly the place, finally making some for himself.

"Thanks for breakfast Matt." Christie bumped her shoulder against his while they did the dishes.

"You're welcome." They did the dishes in silence before Matt had to leave. The kids were all at Antonio's so he needed to get going if they wanted to pick them up before they drove him crazy. Violet hugged Matt tightly and thanked him again before he left.

Matt walked up the stairs to the house and when the knob didn't offer any resistance, he knew that Gabby had passed out from too much wine, not being able to lock up after the girls had left. He made his way to their bedroom on the top floor and couldn't help but smile at the sight in front of him. Gabby was curled up on his side of the bed with nothing but an old t-shirt of his and her panties, her knees raised up against her chest. He put the food bag down on her side table and laid down beside her, watching her sleep. He pushed an unruly strand of hair behind her ear and pressed a light kiss to her lips, effectively making her eyes flutter open.

"Looks like you girls had fun." He whispered, not wanting her to wake up to brutally.

"One would say too much. What's that I smell?" She lifted her head up to try to figure out from where it came from.

"I got your favourites from Laura's bakery you like so much." He smiled.

"I'm pretty sure Laura wasn't in." She groaned, images of last night coming back to her.

"She wasn't." He chuckled. "She called off today. Andrea served me."

"Did you have fun with Violet?"

"Yeah. How about you?" Or do I even want to know?" Matt had gotten a glimpse of the amount of wine they had drank last night when he walked in.

"We had fun." A lazy smile appeared on her face.

"I'm glad to hear that." He leaned down and pressed his lips tenderly against hers.

"Did you get the kids?" She kept her voice low to keep the light thumping in her head at bay.

"Not yet." He kissed her again. "We still have a few hours in front of us." He pulled her close to him and kissed her again. He had missed her warm body against his last night and when he woke up this morning.

"That's more than enough time." She rolled herself onto him and kissed him more forcefully this time.

"More than enough." He whispered in between kisses as they enjoyed a rare moment of quiet time together before they had to get the kids.

* * *

 **a/n: FINALLY. As always, you guys are amazing and I wouldn't be 800 reviews in without your support. This story has been so popular I think mostly because it's relatable and it goes at a "normal" pace so this chapter will help our characters move on by confiding in others. I hope you guys like it and you know what to do before leaving ;) I can't wait to find out what your thoughts on it are - Sarra**


	63. Treehouse permissions

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and the kids names.**

 **a/n: Thank you so much for all reviews the last chapter got, It makes my heart swell. I'm sorry that I took so much time to update this story. I had done the first half quite easily and then the words stopped coming but I finally managed to finish it today, enjoy it.**

* * *

It had been a few days since Matt had been over to his sister's house for a sleepover with Violet and Matt was scheduled for another shift at 51. As soon as he walked through the doors, he was flanked by both Shay and Brett.

"Morning Casey." He looked at Brett who was smiling sweetly at him.

"Have a good date with Violet?" He then looked at Shay who was smirking.

"Yes and I saw you ladies had fun at home with the wine too." They kept walking in sync with him until he made it to his office. "Do you need anything? He turned when he made it to his door so he was facing them.

"Actually, we wanted to tell you something about girls night." He let them both into his office and Brett closed the door behind them.

"I'm not sure I want to find out about what happened during girls night." He sat down at his desk facing the two who were sitting on his bunk.

"Oh you definitely want to hear this one." Both girls looked each other smiling, scaring Matt a little bit.

"Ok so we know that you've already talked to her father about the future and what you want and what he expects right?"

"Right and your point being?"

"Well, we were talking about you."

"Me?" Matt interrupted Brett.

"Yes, you." They giggled at what Matt assumed was an inside joke of some kind.

"And Brett asked Gabby how she'd feel if you asked her to marry you." Now that definitely got Matt's attention.

"And what did she say?" It was stronger than him, he had to know what she had answered.

"She said that's she'd be ready if you did." Suddenly, Matt felt his hands clam up, nervousness creeping on him.

"She said that?"

"Yes." Shay confirmed.

"Oh my god. I haven't found a ring yet and what if she says she's ready and she isn't, what then?" Matt was always a strong guy and rarely did things affect him so but since finding Gabby and sharing his life with her and getting a new home together, things that concerned her had a new found effect on him.

"Mat, slow down. Look at me." Matt raised his eyes to meet Shay's and Brett's. "Don't you think you should ask someone else's permission first?"

"The kids."

"Uh huh." Shay agreed.

"They have been through so much but I know that you love them as much as you love the girls but if they're not on board, all three of them, you'll have to be patient."

"I know." He rubbed his hands together and took a few deep breaths. "Ok. Thanks for the intel." The girls smiled at him and stood, leaving him to his thoughts.

"What was that all about?" Kelly watched the girls leave as he made it to Matt's office door.

"She's ready." Was all Matt could offer in ways of an explanation.

"Ready for what?" Kelly walked in and closed the door behind him and even took a few seconds to close the blinds as well before he took a seat on Matt's bunk.

"They said that she said she'd be ready if I asked her to marry me."

"Man, that's great." Kelly couldn't help the smile that came to his lips for his best friend. "Isn't it great?" He asked, Matt shaking his head to rearrange his thoughts.

"It's great but I have to ask the kids for their permission."

"How are you going to do that?"

"Camping in the tree house." The idea suddenly came to him in that specific moment. "A boys night."

"That's a great idea. And what about the girls? You have to ask the girls what they think about all of this too." Matt clearly wasn't thinking straight so Kelly made sure he didn't forget anything in his attempt to find happiness because it wasn't just the two of them that he had to think about but five kids who all needed to have a say in all of this even though the final decision belonged to Matt alone.

"I haven't thought that far ahead but I doubt that they'd have a problem with that, they love Gabby and the kids."

"Still, you have to think about everyone in this, even Valentina."

"I know, I know. I just need some time to think about all of this. We don't have to rush it."

"You're right about that one though. Come on, let's get you caffeinated before we get a call." Kelly chuckled as he stood up from the bed and pulled Matt back with him in the common room. They were half way through a cup of coffee when the bells rang, calling all companies to an apartment complexe fire. The building was already fully involved in flames but the boarding to the windows indicated something else. Truck vented the roof and did the primary search with Squad while Engine ran a line inside at Boden's orders. They pulled out a few squatters out of the abandoned building with minor burns but as they pulled the last ones out, a few PD police cruisers were arriving on scene along with Intelligence.

"Casey." Antonio walked to him and both men shook hands.

"Antonio, what are you guys doing over here?"

"We're investigating a crack den. Did you guys move anything in there?"

"Well we saved everyone who was in there and if we moved things it was only to get them out faster."

"Alright thanks, we have it from here." Antonio patted Matt on the back who nodded back before he watched his future brother-in-law walk up to Boden to help move the investigation forward. Everyone else packed up the trucks and they were all on their way back to the house. Matt walked back into the house and his nose could already tell him they had a visitor.

"Baby, what are you doing here?" He kissed Gabby on the cheek as she cooked by the stove.

"I brought Valentina to daycare and I figured I had a few hours ahead of me so I thought I'd come visit you and make an edible meal for once." A few of the guys laughed as they walked in catching the tail of end of that discussion. Everyone kissed Gabby on the cheek and complimented her on the smell of the surprise she was cooking for them.

"So I was thinking about something on my way here."

"Uh oh! It's not always good when you think." She barely dodged the poke in the ribs he gave her.

"I was thinking that me and the boys could sort of go on a camping trip."

"We have nothing for a camping trip Matt." She didn't let him finish his thought.

"I was thinking about something a little bit closer to home, like in the tree house. What do you think?"

"I think they'd love that Matt."

"I hope they do." Matt knew how difficult it was for them to let a male into their lives after Alberto had passed away and that it scared them when Matt did get hurt but there was always this feeling in the back of Matt's head that told him that the boys weren't totally on board with his relationship with their mother but he was hoping that this camping trip would help them bond better.

"And me and the girls can stay in and paint our nails, it'll be fun."

"You're so good with them, thanks babe."He placed his hand on her lower back and kissed her temple.

"They're my girls too Matt." She assured him with a smile. "Is everything ok?" She pushed the pot off the hot stove and turned it off before facing him.

"Everything is fine, just a long call." He'd be lying if his conversation with Brett, Shay and Kelly hadn't played a number on him but having her here and saying that his girls were her girls too, there was no doubt in his mind that he found the one for them. She nodded and smiled back at him.

"Do you want me to set things up in the tree house later?"

"No. I figured I'd do that with the boys after I pick them up from your parents house. We could use this as our last hoora before school starts."

"Are you sure you won't be too tired?"

"I'll be fine. It will be a great way to spend more time with them."

"You worry too much about that Matt, they love you."

"I don't know why but I feel I'm still missing brownie points with them." He confessed.

"I'm pretty sure that after tonight, everything will be fine." She raised on her tippy toes and kissed him. "The food's ready guys." She finally called everyone to chow and pulled Matt towards his office

"What are you doing Gabby?"

"You look a little bit stressed Matt." She smirked and pulled the blinds down so they could have a little bit of privacy.

"Gabby I'm fine." She walked to him seductively before she straddled his hips and pressed her lips to his, wasting no time in deepening the kiss. Matt pulled her to him as he lied down, their lips still attached to each other. They made out on his bunk until they were out of breath.

"Is this better?"

"Much better." He whispered, his eyes still closed.

"I should go though."

"Stay just a little bit longer?" His lips silenced her answer and their lips counld't get enough of each other. Gabby stayed for another half hour before she had to leave, the house needing some cleaning. The rest of shift was pretty slow after that, giving Matt more than enough time to rest so he'd be able to bring the boys to the store to pick out their sleeping bags and snacks so they could have fun in the tree house. When 8 turned, Matt was all ready to get out the door so He headed home for a quick change of car, running Inside quickly for Gabby's kiss before he took the van and headed towards her parents house. Everyone was happy to head towards the store and even though the sleepover in the tree was mainly for the boys, Matt bought everyone a sleeping bag for future use and they were all excited for tonight's plans. When they returned, it was almost lunchtime and Gabby was taking care of the finishing touches to the sandwiches.

"How was the trip to the store?"

"Look what Matt got us mom." Luis showed his sleeping bag proudly.

"That's pretty cool. So what are you guys going to do up there?"

"Matt says it's a surprise." Filippe grinned.

"Surpise huh? She glanced up at Matt with a smile.

"It's boys night. What happens in the tree house stays in the tree house right boys?2

"Right." They clamoured togther.

"That's fine. Me and the girls are going to have some fun too then." She teased back. "Alright everyone, it's time for lunch." She ruffled the boys hairs as they tried to dodge her.

They had lunch both sets of twins saying their night would be the most fun but Matt and Gabby told them that both of the things they were doing would be fun equally. They put Valentina down for her afternoon nap while Matt took the boys and their things to the treehouse and Gabby taking the girls to dig up all the nail polishes for their girly evening. They had dinner and both adults went their seperate ways. Matt helped the boys up the tree and into the house and they pulled out all the things that they had taken with them. They asked to play with the blocks first and they started building something big, not really knowing what it was supposed to look like in the end.

"Are you going to ask mom to marry you?" Matt looked up with a surprised look, clearly not knowing where Filippe was taking this from.

"Where did you hear that?"

"I heard mom talking with Abuela and Abuelo."

"Were you supposed to hear that?" Matt wasn't sure that Gabby would be happy about them hearing a discussion that was clearly meant for adults but he just wanted to hear it from them.

"No." Filippe hung his head down. "We were in the hallway. We were supposed to be playing but then we heard them talk so we listened."

"And I don't want to hear about you listening in on adults conversations again. Is that clear?" Matt wasn't mad but he wanted them to know that what they did was wrong.

"Yes."

"If it was to happen, how would you feel about me asking your mom to marry me?

"It would be ok." Luis shrugged.

"Mom's been smiling more since she met you." Filippe added. "It means she's happy. I'd be ok with that."Filippe was always the more sentimental of the two and Matt was surprised when he was on the receiving end of a tight hug.

"So, can you keep a secret?" Matt asked them with a smile.

Inside, Gabby had already put Valentina to bed for the night, leaving her with Grace and Emma to do their nails.

"So, are you ladies ready to have pretty nails?"

"Yes." They both cheered.

"Alright Grace, you first. What colour do you want?"

"Can I have a rainbow?" Grace knew that a lot of colours meant hard work so she half expected Gabby to say no."

"Ooohh, a rainbow, I love that idea." The girls chose between the huge basket full of colours to choose their rainbow and when that was done, Gabby started painting nails. It took her a lot of time to do just Grace because she was a little less able to sit in one place but she loved doing girl things like that.

Matt had left the boys alone in the house to keep building their unknown structure s he could so grab some more things in the house in case the boys were hungry later but once he approached the kitchen silently, he could hear all three girls.

"Your nails are pretty Gabby." Emma told Gabby as she watched her put her own,dark blue nail polish.

"Thanks for doing our nails for us mom." Gabby wasn't expecting the hug that she just received and her eyes misted over, Matt's heart swelling from a distance. Grace looked up at Gabby with a guilty expression. "Is it ok if I call you mom?" She asked shyly.

"Of course you can." Gabby smiled down at her and picked her up to sit her on her lap. "I love you guys so much, as much as if you were my own daughters and I'm happy that you ladies came into my life."

"We are too." Emma came to join the hug. "And I know daddy does too. He's happier since he bumped into you."

"I am too. My heart was sad for a little bit but your dad made it all better."

Matt watched for a few more seconds before he decided to leave the girls alone. After all the worrying that he had been doing in the past days about having the boys ok with his decision to ask their mom to marry him and to hear his daughter's call her mom, he knew that life could only get better with Gabby and her kids by their side.

* * *

 **a/n: So after worrying that the boys wouldn't be ok with him marrying their mother, he soon found out that all the kids would be happy about the news when he did decide to ask her to marry him. Now he'll face the challenge of finding the perfect ring for her.**

 **I hope you guys liked this chapter and please take a few seconds to review before you go, your thoughts are always appreciated. - Sarra**


	64. Yes

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and the kids names.**

 **a/n: Thank you to everyone who reviewed last chapter, it means the world to me. I want to thank everyone for their patience because I know it's been a VERY LONG WHILE since I updated this fic but I've had a crazy schedule and it's EXTRA LONG so I hope that makes up for it. This chapter goes out to Whitney who is home sick, hope you like it ;)**

* * *

The following days after getting the twins approuval to ask their mother to marry him, Matt had three problems: finding out her ring size, finding said ring and how he was even going to pop the question. All he knew is that he wanted it to be romantic and he wanted the kids to be involved somehow but he didn't know how yet. In all of the chaos of getting everyone ready for back to school, Matt hadn't had a change to stop and think about those three problems.

They were having one of those busy mornings and with school slowly approaching for the Casey/Dawson household, everything was a mess. "Come on guys, mom's going to be late." She yelled after her not yet ready twin sons. Matt was already at work and even though the three girls were ready and waiting by the door, Luis and Filippe were still stuck in the bathroom brushing their teeth.

"We're coming mom." Luis poked his head out of the bathroom door with the toothbrush lodged in his mouth.

"Hurry up, I don't want to be late." She looked at her watch and sighed. She needed to drop all five kids at her parent's house before making her way to the hospital. The boys were there about five long minutes later and Gabby ushered everyone outside the house, locking behind her. She apologized to her mother about literally dropping them off and she drove away to the hospital, hopefully not too late. She parked in her usual spot and then she started running. She took the back staircase two at a time and managed to make it to the pediatric department totally out of breath.

"Calm down Gabby." Nathalie saw her stuff her jacket under the nurse's station. "You can take a few deep breaths."

"I'm sorry I'm late." She breathed heavily, putting her stethoscope around her neck. "The boys weren't cooperating this morning and I left home late to bring them to my mom's."

"It's fine Gabby. it's quiet today so far." As if on cue, her portable phone started ringing. "Cancel that. The ER just called and they are waiting for a schoolbus full of kids, bus vs garbage truck"

"I'll go see if they need some help." Gabby offered. She took the stairs again and headed straight for the ER and arrived just as the EMT's did, bringing in at least ten kids with injuries. She smiled at Matt as he wheeled another kid in with Shay and Brett. His hand was holding a large gash on his leg and they were told to go into trauma bay three. The choas lasted fore more than an hour before either EMT's or firefighters were able to take a breather. Gabby was filling up her last report when Matt came to stand across the counter from her.

"Hey baby. I'm sorry that I missed you this morning. How did it go with the kids?"

"Luis and Filippe were not cooperating this morning." She stated without looking up from her report. "I came in late." She finally looked up. "Thank god I have the best head of department." She chuckled. "You and Kelly not turning firehouse 51 into a circus?"

"We never turn 51 into a circus." He smirked. "So I'll see you in the morning?" He saw the rest of 51 start to leave the ER so he took it as his cue to leave. He locked eyes with Shay who smiled at him before she purposefully grabbed Gabby's attention, Matt making a b-line for the stairs. He knew this was the easiest way for him to find out at least one things, the ring size. He moved up the stairs as quickly as he could with his turnout gear would let him. He easily found Nathalie in the crowd and she motionned for him to follow her into the breakroom, knowing Gabby wouldn't be back up right away.

"What can I do for you Matt?" She didn't often see Matt Casey come in the department if Gabby wasn't there so clearly he was looking for something specific.

"Actually I need a huge favour from you. I, well I want to ask Gabby to marry me." Nathalie stiffled the squeal that felt like coming through her lips to let him finish what he wanted to say. "And I have no idea what ring size she wears and I can't ask her mom and Shay would probably spill the whole thing because she can't keep a secret to save her life. Well she actually surprised me by not telling this one." He rambled.

"I'll take care of it, breathe Matt." She placed her hands on his shoulders, easing his nerves a little bit.

"Thanks." He exhaled deeply. She scribbled his cellphone number on the corner of her patient sheet and she made sure that Gabby wasn'T anywhere to be seen before sending the lieutenant on his way. Matt went back down the stairs and found Shay by the front entrance of the ER, waiting for him to get back to the house.

"What took you so long?" She complained as they got into the ambo.

"I had to talk to Nathalie upstairs. Thanks for covering up for me."

"Better be worth it."

"Oh it will be." Now all he needed to do was come up with a proposal plan and find a way to shop for rings without Gabby finding out about it. Every once in a while it happened that they were off on opposite days so Matt would ttake that day to go look for rings. He knew he'd have to bring the kids with him, maybe ask her mom for help, he wasn't sure yet. They parked in the bay and Matt returned his turnout gear next to the truck and stepped into his regular boots and headed straigt for his office, hoping the quiet of the small space would provide him some real thinking time.

He had pen to paper, trying to concentrate on the report that was on his desk but all his mind could do was think of ways to propose to Gabby and when his mind turned up blank, he threw his pen against the wall in frustration.

"Something wrong lieutenant?" Herrmann stopped dead in his tracks when he took sight of the younger man in his office.

"Herrmann." He acknowledged the older man. "Sorry about that." He looked at the wall before turning to him again. "I'm trying to think of a way to propose to Gabby and I'm coming up blank." He sighed.

"Lieutenant." The smile that was on his face was contagious and Matt smiled too. "So you decided to make an honest man out of yourself?"

"Yes and the kids are ok with it. Well I haven't talked to the girls but I overheard them the other night. They called her mom and I have to tell you, I don't think I've ever felt more in love with her than I was right there."

"Than you're doing to right thing. I've seen you raise these girls all on your own and since Gabby came in the picture, I've never seen you happier, more relaxed."

"That's cuz she makes thinks look so much easier."

"They tend to do that. Maybe get the kids involved in the proposal?"

"That's perfect Herrmann. Why didn't I think of that?" Herrmann gave him a curious look but he could see on Casey's face that a plan was forming in his mind.

"Sometimes you just need a push in the right direction Lieutenant." Herrmann smirked, leaving his lieutenant to sort out his plan. He closed the small office's door and continued on his way.

Matt suddenly got a very specific plan but he'd have to buy a few supplies. Now that this was out of the way, he had no trouble concentrating on the task at hand and it didn't take him a lot of time before he took his incident report in to Boden. He returned to his office and made a list of things he'd need to set his plan in motion and he made a mental note to talk to the girls about his plans to ask Gabby to marry him.

Chicago gave them a quiet shift and Matt was happy to be able to get a good night's sleep. When he woke up from his peaceful night, he grabbed his things and went straight for Christie's house to pick up the girls. They had asked to spend the night there because they hadn't had in a long time and Christie had been more than happy to take them for the night. Matt figured that he'd talk to the girls when they got back home. Gabby's kids were for their part staying over at their grand-parents who were taking them to the zoo while Gabby was at work.

"Matt." Christie was surprised to find her brother on the other side of the door considering Kelly hadn't walked through the door yet. "Did you see Kelly?" SHe asked as she let him in, both Grace and Emma jumping on him as the door closed.

"He'll probably be here soon. He was finishing up an incident report when I left. How were the girls?"

"The girls were on their best behaviour as usual, right girls?"

"Right auntie Christie." How the girls could be so in sync Matt would never understand.

"That's what I like to hear. Now come on girls, let's get out of here before Kelly gets here." They both grabbed their backpack and hugged Christie before heading out, both of them bumping straight into Kelly. He hugged his sister and managed to pull the girls away from Kelly so they could go home and have breakfast and a conversation. The girls chatted the whole way back home and were happy when Matt suggested pancakes and they helped set the table while he cooked. They kept talking about their sleepover as Matt put everything on the table. "So girls." He started.

"Daddy wants to have a grown-up talk." Grace looked at Emma who giggled.

"That's right." He smiled at them. "It's about Gabby."

"Is is because I called her mom?" Grace asked, her eyes suddenly finding an interest in her plate.

"It is."

"Are you mad at me dad?"

"Baby no. I'd never be mad at you for that." He pushed a lock out of her eyes and placed it behind her ear. "When I heard you call her mom, you have no idea how it made me feel." He started. "What I'm saying is that I love Gabby very much and I know that we've been living together now but I want us to be a family, officially. What do you say if I ask Gabby to marry me?" Matt was welcomed with an echo of yes' she and the girls threw themselves at his neck.

"When are you going to ask her daddy?" Emma asked.

"I haven't picked out a ring or when I want to do it yet but soon."

"Can we help?" Grace added.

"I actually had an idea yesterday and I'll need your help and we'll ask the boys and Valentina to help too, how does that sound?"

"But we have to keep it a secret." Grace looked at her sister with a knowing look.

"I won't say anything." Emma rolled her eyes. Matt laughed at the girls antics but he knew that Grace was right. If someone was prone to spilling state secrets was Emma but he had a feeling that this particular secret was one that she'd be able to keep. They finished breakfast and the planning for the day was the park and the waterfront for some ice cream before Gabby came back home after shift with her three kids so they could spend the rest of the evening together.

"How was your day with the girls?" She asked as they cuddled together on the couch after the kids were all in bed.

"It was fun. The girls were happy to be at the waterfront this afternoon. How about the kids with your parents?"

"Somehow the zoo was very new to them." She chuckled.

"Glad they had fun." He ran his fingers through her hair. "How was your day?"

"Crazy, sad. We had to tell parents that their kid had terminal cancer. That's what really gets to me, when we can't give them some good news."

"I'm sorry babe, I know how much you love your little patients. They're lucky to have you up there. You shouldn't beat yourself up over this."

"I'm trying not to."

"How about I take your mind off of your bad day?" He pulled her on him, her legs on each side of his waist.

"What do you have in mind?" He pulled her closer to him by the waist and his lips attacked hers in a hungry kiss.

"This." He stood up, her legs wrapped around his waist and her lips tightly attached to his again. He walked them up to their bedroom and laid her down on the sheets. How do you like this idea?" He ran his hand under her shirt and along her sides as her body raised to meet his.

"Don't stop." She moaned and not stop is exactly what he did. He didn't wait any time getting Gabby out of her clothes and into the sheets, making love to her for hours into the night before they fell completely exhausted against each other. Matt pulled her against him, his arm wrapped around her waist.

"Good night baby."

"Good night." He leaned down and gently pressed his lips against hers in a more tender kiss. "I love you."

"I love you too." He placed his chin in the crook of her neck and they both fell asleep with a sense of hapiness envelopping them.

Gabby woke up first the next morning to her phone buzzing lightly on her night stand, her alarm doing what it was meant to do. She quietly pulled herself from Matt's arms to shower and get dressed for the day. She quietly moved around in the kitchen, not wanting to wake anyone up since they were all sleeping for a rare occasion, giving Matt some more time to sleep, knowing he'd be taking care of all five kids until her shift was over.

"Need help?" Gabby jumped when she felt Matt's arms around her waist.

"What are you doing up?" She turned in his arms.

"Did you think I wouldn't notice you try to get up undetected?" He gave her a sweet kiss.

"Sorry." She said sheepishly.

"Nah, it's fine. I thought I'd get breakfast ready, this house never stays quiet for too long." As if the kids knew they were talked about, both set of twins came barreling down in the kitchen.

"What's for breakfast?" Luis asked unceremoniously.

"What comes before that?" She looked at her son sternly.

"Good morning mom, good morning Matt." Matt couldn't help the chuckle and neither could Gabby as her hand slapped him in the chest.

"Morning." Matt replied. "What do you want for breakfast?" All four kids had different ideas and Matt chuckled. "Alright, say bye to mom." He winked in Grace's direction. "And go wash your faces, breakfast will be ready soon." Everyone quickly hugged Gabby and were out of the kitchen.

"Have fun baby." She laughed, patting him gently on the chest.

"Have a nice day." He leaned down and kissed her before she grabbed her travel mug and left for shift. Matt quickly opened the fridge and grabbed a few things for breakfast while the kids were still in the bathroom washing up and started making the food. When all the kids came back and took their seat, Matt let them serve themselves and went up stairs to get Valentina who was the deepest sleeper of the bunch. When he went into the room, she was sitting up in her bed, her hands rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

"Daddy." She raised her arms in the air when she saw Matt and it only made him smile. Valentina had called him daddy a few times since the first time at the pier and after talking about it, Matt and Gabby decided to let her call him what she wanted, the whole situation lost on the little girl.

"How'd you sleep?" He hoisted her in his arms and headed towards the bathroom. They had started potty training a while ago and it was going much faster that it had for the four other ones but mornings were touchy.

"Good." Matt got her changed before they went to join the others downstairs for some food.

Matt looked at his watch as he drank his cup of coffee while the kids ate. He needed to call Gabby's mom while he went hunting for a ring but since he had a little time ahead of him, he figured that he'd run to the hardware store with the kids first.

"Alright kids. As soon as you're done, put your dishes in the sink and I need you guys to go get dressed, we are going to the store."

"What are we getting dad?" Grace asked as she put the dishes in the sink.

"You'll see, chop chop." He laughed. He figured that he'd let them guess as much as possible. He put everything in the diswasher while they rushed upstairs to change, all four back in a ten minute span. "Ok let's go." He made sure everyone had their shoes on and a light jacket, the end of summer morning air a bit chilly and he settled everyone in the truck and they were on their way. The four older kids kept hounding Matt to find out what they were going to buy and for what purpose and Matt fed them just enough to keep them guessing and banter playfully in the back.

Matt didn't need all that much, just a large enough board to write marry me on it and they already had paint of all the colours in the kids things so they'd be able to get the art part of it done.

"What is that for Matt?" Luis asked once Matt chose what he needed.

"That is the secret mission I have for you guys today."

"Is that for asking mom to marry you?" Filippe asked excitedly.

"I told you I'd need your help on this." He ruffled his hair. "Let's go pay this and as soon as we get home, we'll set everything up in the garage because mom never goes in there." He winked at him before they made their way to the cash register. Matt did an easy set up in the garage and went to grab the paint and paintbrushes and gave the kids their instructions. He stepped out of the garage and made a quick phone call to Gabby's parents for a little bit of help. Gabby's parents arrived about twenty minutes later and found them out back.

"Abuelo, Abuela." The boys screamed as soon as they saw them, running to hug them.

"Thank you so much for looking after them while I go out."

"No problem son." Esmeralda patted his arm. "They're always so well behaved."

"Thanks. They know what they're supposed to do and when I come back I'll do the rest with them."

"Good luck." Edouardo smiled at him.

"Thanks, I think I'll need it." He smiled back. "You girls be nice with Gabby's parents ok? The same goes for the two of you." He pointed to the two boys.

"Yes daddy." The girls said in sync.

"I'll see you guys later." He hugged the kids and drove off. He took the road in the direction of the jewelry store he had gone to when his plan was to ask Hallie to marry him and he only hoped that he'd find the perfect ring for Gabby. When he walked in, the middle aged woman behind the counter smiled at him and he made his way towards her. The store was empty except for another customer who seemed to still be looking.

"What can I do for you young man?"

"I'm looking for the perfect ring." He smiled at her.

"What are you looking for?"

"I don't really have anything in mind, I'll know when I see it."

"Alright. I'll take some different styles of rings for you and then we'll go from there."

"Thank you." He let the woman move around the store and take different displays out and quickly, he was presented with five different rings. Two of them were far from what he was looking for so he pushed them back. "Those are too simple." And then his eyes set on the one in the very middle. "That one." He pointed to it.

"That's a very good choice sir. Do you know what size she wears?" He looked at her for a few seconds before he pulled a little black box out of his pocket.

"This is her old wedding ring." His hands were slightly shaking because what was in the box was precious and he couldn't lose it.

"So you're renewing your vows, that's very sweet."

"Not exactly." He rubbed the back of his neck. "This is her ring from her previous marriage. Her husband passed away a few years ago." He didn't want to go into details of Gabby's personnal life but her old wedding ring was the only way to know about the size.

"I'm really sorry." She whispered loud enough for him to hear. "I'll just take it for a few seconds to make sure we get the size right." The woman went into the back and came back a few minutes later. "Here, it's all done." She gave him the box back and promised him that it would be ready by the end of the week even though they'd still call to confirm. He thanked her and put the box back in his pocket and returned home.

He came in through the front door so the kids wouldn't see him. He moved up the stairs and towards their bedroom. He opened the black velvet box and closed it again before he put it back in its rightful place in Gabby's jewelry box. He could hear the kids in the back yard so he made his way back down and went to join them and Gabby's parents in the garage to see their progress.

"How's the work of art going?" He smiled as he locked eyes with Esmeralda.

"They are having fun." She came to hug her. "Did you find what you were looking for?"

"Yes. The woman said it would be ready by the end of the week."

"And when are you planning on popping the question?" Edouardo came to join them.

"We are off together next week end so I figured we could get the kids out of the house, I still haven't thought about it." He admitted.

"You still have a little bit of time ahead of you, I'm sure it'll be perfect."

"She deserves that." They talked a little bit while the kids finished the last piece of painting they had left. Gabby's parents helped with cleaning up the place and putting the sign in a safe place in the garage here it could dry, away from Gabby's eyes. Matt looked at his watch and he knew that they didn't have time to do the lights before Gabby came back home so they settled inside the house after her parents had left, lego's sprawled all over the small playroom next to the kitchen while Matt took care of dinner. Gabby had texted him to say an emergency had come up at work and that she'd be home later so Matt took care of getting the kids ready for bed and she came home just in time to tuck them in, giving them some time alone.

"I'm sorry I got home so late, we had a code orange and it was all hands on deck."

"It's fine babe, we had fun." Matt pulled her against him on the couch, dropping on kiss on her head. "You look tired. How about I run you a warm bath so you can relax?"

"That would be great, my muscles are hurting everywhere." Matt kissed her and made his way upstairs to run her a bath in their en-suite. Then he checked on all five kids before going back down to get Gabby. It was pretty late when they got into bed and they cuddled, Gabby falling asleep against Matt's chest mere minutes later.

The next morning was buisiness as usual, the kids being dropped off at Christie's since the two of them were on shift. The whole week was more of the same for the family with a stop for the store for school supplies in the middle of the week to get what was missing. It was during Matt's last shift before the week-end that he finally got the call from the jewler saying Gabby's engagement ring was ready. He made sure to stop by when he was alone so everyone at the house wouldn't be tempted to blab accidently to Gabby about it.

"I wish we could go out for dinner." Gabby complained the next morning while they were still wrapped in each other. "We haven't been out on a date in a long time."

"I know but we've been busy. How about we go out tomorrow evening? Have Shay babysit them for a few hours."

"That would be great." She smiled at him. He Grabbed his phone from the night stand and sent Shay a text before putting it back down. "Done."

"I hope she says yes." The answer came hours later and Gabby was happy to be able to spend a few hours with Matt without their whole brood. Shay came by while the kids were playing outside, finding Matt by himself, Gabby already starting to get ready..

"Thanks for doing this Shay."

"No problem, I love spending time with them."

"I need to ask you for another favour though." Matt made sure that there's weren't any prying ears around, Mostly Gabby's. He told her of his plan and where to find what she needed to make it happen before he went up stairs to finish getting ready. He found Gabby in her dress with the zipper still down, applying her make-up in the bathroom. "Shay's here." He kissed her cheek.

"She's a life saver."

"She's happy to help." He said as he grabbed his shirt, slipping it on. Matt had been working out lately so the shirt was now snug against his arms and one look in his direction while he buttoned his pants was enough to turn her on.

"Any way we can cancel tonight's dinner?" Gabby licked her lips at the sight of him all dressed up.

"No way." He chuckled. "I'm taking you out tonight."

"How about we ask Shay to keep them from the night?"

"The kids will be asleep when we come back." He lied. "The question is how quiet can you be?" He teased, pulling her to him.

"Very quiet." She whispered as they kissed, Matt's hand against her skin not helping the heat going through her body. "Help me with my zipper?" She asked once she was able to pull herself away from Matt, turning and putting her hair on the side to give him better access. He zipped it up tortourously slow and his lips were on her shoulder, not helping. "Matt." She groaned.

"Yeah?"

"Stop this teasing. I swear we won't leave this house if you don't."

"Fine but we'll pick this up later."

"I can't wait." She turned to face him with a smile.

"Ready?"

"Yeah." She grabbed her clutch and Matt ushered her out of their room. When they made it downstairs, the kids were running around with Shay who was laughing, Valentina hoisted on her back.

"Mama, you look pretty." Filippe stopped runing as soon as he saw his mother.

"Thanks baby." She gently took his cheeks in her hand, kissing his cheek.

"Now Shay is going to stay with you guys for a few hours so you need to behave ok?" Matt recieved a chorus of yes's from all five of them.

"We'll see you in a little bit." Gabby didn't see Matt wink in Shay's direction as she kissed all the made their way to the restaurant and walked inside where they were seated next to the window. "I'm glad we were able to do this so short noticed."

"I think we deserve a few hours alone." They ordered wine and their food a little bit later and enjoyed a wonderful meal together. Matt had texted Shay once the bill was brought to make sure everything was in place and he told Gabby that everything was under control and the kids were asleep. shay answered back that she was putting in the finishing touches before leaving to her place with all the kids.

"I wish this evening didn't have to end." She sighed as she pushed the door to their place open.

"It doesn't have to." The house was basked in total darkness and they walked farther into the house.

"How come it's so quiet in here?" She put her clutch on the front table and turned to Matt.

"That is because the kids are sleeping over at Shay's place for the night. It's just you and me." He leaned down to kiss her.

"Did you plan this?" She accused him playfully.

"Yes and I have one more surprise for you."

"What did you do Matt?" She smirked, obviously intreagued.

"Follow me." He gently took her by the hand and she followed him upstairs. He guided her towards the end of the hall where their room was and he stopped her just inches before. "I know that we've been extra busy lately and I thought we deserved some us time, so I decided to have a little surprise for you."Matt's heart was suddenly pumping faster in his chest from excitement. "You can't look just yet though." Gabby giggled and let him put his hand in front of hers. Matt pushed their bedroom door open, his hand still covering Gabby's eyes. She placed her slender fingers against his and Matt could hear Gabby's heart against his chest.

"Can I open them?"

"Keep them closed." He whispered in her ear, removing his hand. "You can open them now." Gabby's eyes fluttered opened and she took the room in. It was basking in candlelight put around the room in masson jars with a sign sitting on her bedside table with the words marry my in tiny white lights, a background clearly made by the kids and a single black velvet box in the middle of the bed.

Matt's hands were gently resting against her hips as her body stilled. "Matt?" Her voice caught in her throat and her hand came to rest against her chest.

"Go look." He coaxed her into moving forward, his hands never leaving her hips. She walked on unsteady legs, her heart now pounding in her chest from excitement. She bent down and took the box in her hands, opening it to reveal a beautiful diamond ring. She turned around to face Matt with watery eyes, her smile wide to go with but he was now down on one knee. "When I first met you, both our hearts were broken and I believe that finding each other pieced them back together. We've buit this new family together and its never made me feel more whole and I want this to last forever. Gabby Dawson, will you marry me?"

"YES! Yes I'll marry you Matt Casey." She laughed as Matt stood up and pulled her to him for a kiss. One hand was wrapped tightly around her waist and his other one was resting against her hip as they deepened it. They seperated just long enough for Matt to slip the ring on her finger, his hands pulling her back to him again, this time for a more hungry kiss. He slipped his hand under her dress as he raised her body and sat her down on her chest, settling his body between her legs. He trailed kisses down her neck as his hand expertly found the zipper of her dress before he found a spot on her shoulder to give his attention to. He lowered her dress as she laced her fingers through his hair, letting it pool at her waist. "Matt." She moaned just as he bit down gently on her shoulder.

"You're beautiful." He whispered as their eyes locked. Matt's fingers found their way on the inside of her thigh, Gabby's body shivering under his touch.

"Make love to me Matt." She inhaled sharply as his fingers found her panties and moved them aside to insert one finger into her folds. "Matt, bed." She growled, heat pooling in her groin, Matt's ministrations setting her body on fire. The chuckled that escaped her lips only infuriated her more. He knew every part of her and all the ways to turn her on and he was taking advantage of it. He lowered her to the ground, her dress now pooled at her feet, her body clad in barely there lingerie, Matt's imagination taking him places. She stepped out of her dress and Matt hoisted her up, letting her wrap her legs around his waist as his lips found hers again.

Gabby held onto him with one hand while her fingers were fumbling with Matt's dress shirt, trying to undo the buttons with one hand. He lowered her down onto the bed and she managed to push his shirt off his shoulders, his body pressing into hers, the need to be as close to her as he possibly could. She threw her head back to give him a better access to the skin there, loving the feeling that his lips had when they were on her body. She lowered her hand against the side of Matt's body and as she did, she felt his body buckle, giving her the edge to be able to flip them around, placing Matt at the bottom this time, her body straddling his hips.

Gabby found a look of lust and love as she locked eyes with Matt so when she dipped down and captured his lips in hers, there was nothing innocent about it. She pushed her lower body against his to elicit the reaction she was getting and Matt suddenly found his pants to be far too tight around his hardening member. "Gabby." It was a low rumble but she knew just what he wanted. Her lips left his and her fingers traced the lines of his abs as her lips took the exact same destination. When Gabby's fingers were working on Matt's button to give him some release, she bit down, making Matt groan with the pleasure that she was giving him. His hand slipped through her locks and his fingers pulled ever so slightly, needing her to give him more. She lowered his pants and pushed them down all the way to the floor before she pulled herself up and attached her lips to his. She ran her hand down his chest and into his briefs, taking his hard member in her slender fingers, his body reacting to her touch as a moan was swallowed by their kiss.

Matt easily unhooked her bra and removed it as best he could as his body was the main focus of Gabby's attention. She pushed his briefs down with her other hand, leaving Matt completely exposed to her. She moved her hand in a steady motion up and his his member and his body gave into her, loving how she made him feel. Matt stopped her motion with his hand as he felt he was close to the edge, not wanting the evening to finish just yet.

"Not so soon babe." He pulled her to him and kissed her, raising her body so she was straddling him. "We have all night." He whispered in her ear as he eased her down on him, a low moan escaping her lips. She moved slowly up and down as his hands rested on her hips, letting her rock him to his core. Then he flipped them around, their bodies still connected so she could enjoy this as well. He pushed deep into her as her right leg raised against his side, giving him better access, his name tumbling from her lips. His head was in the crook of her neck, his lips attached there, sometimes kissing, sometimes biting down gently on her.

"Matt." Matt slowed down and looked at her, taking her lips in his, picking up speed again. He knew what she wanted and he was going to give it to her. He sped up his movements and went slightly harder as her body reacted to his movements, her hands applying pressure against his shoulder blades with each thrust. Matt felt Gabby tighten around him and picked up the speed a bit more so they could both climax together. Gabby became slightly encoherent as she tumbled over the edge, Matt's head once again safely tucked in her neck. He let his body weight rest against Gabby as they catched their breaths.

They pulled away from each other and fell exhausted next to each other, Matt pulling her body closer to him. "You were amazing." He breathed heavily, dropping a kiss against her shoulder.

"I could say the same thing about you." She shifted in his arms so she could face him. Silence filled the space around them as their breathing evened out. "Tonight was perfect." She whispered into his chest.

"And we get to have perfect forever." He rolled her on her back and pinned her against the matress, capturing her lips in a kiss.

"Forever." Gabby whispered before Matt claimed her again, their celebration continuing well into the night.

* * *

 **a/n: I finally made it. I hope this chapter was Worth the wait. Please take a few minutes to leave a review behind, I really want to know what you guys thing. - Sarra**


	65. A new life

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and the kids names.**

 **a/n: I want to thank everyone who left a review on the last chapter and I want to apologize for not updating faster but real life has been CHAOTIC and so it hasn't left me all that much time to write but I finally managed to find a little bit of time to do so so here's the next chapter, enjoy.**

* * *

Gabby's eyes fluttered opened and she stretched, finding the sheets next to her empty. She propped herself on her elbows, pulling the sheets around her upper body and scanned the room in hopes of seeing Matt but the room was still basked in darkness even though she figured it was early afternoon with the tiny rays of the sun seeping through the blinds. She sighed contently and laid back down with a smile.

"If I knew it would have made you smile like this I would have proposed sooner." Gabby finally sat down with the sheets around her body and found Matt standing in their doorway wearing nothing but a pair of black briefs, a sexy smile and a tray of food.

"And I would still have said yes." Matt walked into the room and set the tray down on the bed. "Morning." He leaned down and captured her lips in a tender kiss.

"Morning babe. How'd you sleep?"

"Well some guy proposed to me in the most romantic way a girl could ask for and we made love all, night, long. I'd say I slept one of the best." She turned to eye her clock. "Almost six hours of my life." She giggled. "What down have here?" She looked down at the tray.

"Well I figured you'd be hungry when you woke up so I prepared some fresh fruit with some of the muffins you made yesterday morning and, some coffee." He took one of the cups and gently placed it in her hands.

"Well I did work up an appetite." She winked at Matt, taking a sip of the hot liquid in her cup. "So tell me, for how long does Shay get to keep the kids before we have to go pick them up?"

"We got the whole day to ourselves. What do you have in mind?" He grabbed his own cup of coffee and took a sip.

"I don't know, spend a little bit more time here and maybe start by telling my parents and go with the kids for dinner at the restaurant?" She shrugged. She really had no real intention of getting out of the bed at the moment.

"How about we first start by eating and shower together." He kissed her neck. "Then we can think of picking up the kids and what about dinner with your parents to tell everyone at the same time."

"What about Christie? I don't want her to think that we're pushing her out by not telling her right away."

"We can plan lunch with her tomorrow, tell her then. She'll be happy to see all the kids." Gabby nodded so Matt stretched to grab his phone, sending his sister a short text inviting her over for lunch with Violet and Kelly the next day. "Now where were we?" He placed both of their cups on the night stand and pinned a giggling Gabby against the mattress, peppering her neck with kisses.

"Who would have thought that we'd end up here." She mused as they lay tangled in the sheets a little bit later.

"Engaged?" He ran his fingers though her hair.

"Engaged, happy."

"You deserve it." He kissed her forehead.

"So do you Matt and I'll keep reminding you for the rest of our lives." She propped herself against his chest. She loved him for always putting her above himself but he needed to know that him being happy was at the top of her list as well.

"I love you." He simply said with a smile

"I love you too." He brushed her hair out of her face before she pulled away. "Where are you going?"

"I need a shower." She winked at him and he watched her completely naked back walk into the bathroom before he decided to follow her. They made out under the hot stream of water before they washed each other. When they walked out, the bathroom was filled with steam and the miror was misty. "I think we stayed in there too long." She laughed as Matt pulled her to him.

"I won't complain." He kissed her. "Did you tell your parents that we're coming over for dinner?"

"I thought we'd surprise them."

"We're seven extra people Gabby. We can't just drop by and expect extra food to be ready."

"We wouldn't be dropping by. We'll go there after lunch and if anything I can help my mom with the extra food."

"You're sure that she won't be mad?"

"Nah. She loves having a lot of people around."

"If she gets mad, I'll say I had no idea about this." He smirked.

"Thanks for having my back."

"Oh I do have your back." He lowered his hands and ran them under her towel, Gabby closing her eyes at the contact. He pulled on her towel and let it fall to the ground as he kissed her hard. He easily lifted her frame and placed her on the vanity, pushing his body against hers as he held her close to him. By the time they left the bathroom, the steam was practically non existant and the miror was back to its original state.

Gabby closed her eyes as Matt wrapped his arms around her waist while she pulled her shirt over her head. "Matt, you have to stop doing that. We need to go get the kids."

"We have more than enough time." He moved her shirt aside and pressed his lips to her shoulders.

"Need I remind you that we're well past lunch time and if you don't want my mother to get mad, you need to keep your hands off of me." It took everything in here to pull away from his grip, her will faltering when his fingers found her hips.

"Fine. I wouldn't want to get Esmeralda Dawson's bad side." He pulled away, raising his hands in surrender and proceeded in getting dressed. As soon as they were ready, Gabby texted Shay to say that they were on their way.

She was happy when the kids were all ready to go with all their back packs by the door.

"I hope that you guys behaved for auntie Leslie." The kids all looked up as Gabby hugged Shay, the blonde even more excited now that the sparkler was sitting on Gabby's left ring finger.

"Thanks so much for doing this Leslie."

"Seeing the two of you this happy, anytime."

"Come in guys, everybody in the van." The kids put their bags on their shoulders while Gabby took Valentina's bag and Matt hoisted her up on his hip. The little girl could run now but to save time, this was easier. The drive wasn't all that long but with the kids excitement of knowing they heading to the Dawson's, both adults were more than happy when they arrived at destination.

"Oh good, Antonio is there." She turned and looked at Matt. The fact that the family of four was there meant that her mother had already planned for more food. All five kids rushed to the door and the fastest one there rang the doorbell. Matt wrapped his arm around Gabby's waist as they watched the kids run around.

"This is perfect." She leaned her head against his shoulder.

"That's good because you're stuck with us." He kissed the top of her head. She pulled away and slapped his arm.

"I'm not stuck with you, I love having you guys around." She laughed, barely getting away from him as his hand slapped her butt. They made it to the door just in time for Antonio to answer.

"Gabby, what are you going here?"

"Surprise dinner crashing." She smirked as the kids pushed past him in the doorway.

"Eehh yeah."He moved out of the way to let them in, hugging his sister and shaking Matt's hand.

"What's wrong with you Tonio?" Gabby looked at him strangely for a few seconds.

"Nothing is wrong Gabs." He finally smiled at him.

"You're hiding something and I'm going to find out what it is."

"I just wasn't expecting you."

"No one is." She slapped his arm as they walked farther inside the house. They found their parents in the kitchen, their mom cooking and their father now swarmed by all the kids.

"Gabriella, you didn't call." Esmeralda wiped his hands down on her apron and hugged her daughter.

"Surprise?"

"I told her to call before coming." Gabby glared at him.

"So much for having my back." She narrowed her eyes at him, Laura laughing at them from next to the stove.

"Oh no! We have more than enough food for everyone." Gabby thought her mother was acting strange but didn't say anything about it.

"Dad." She leaned down to wrap her arms around his shoulders and kiss his cheek.

"It's good to see you honey. Matt." He extended his hand for Matt to shake.

"Edouardo, how's it going?"

"Now that I'm surrounded by three lovely women, I can't complain too much."

"Where are Eva and Diego?" Gabby looked around not to find her niece and her nephew.

"In there." Laura pointed towards the living room. "Teenagers." She sighed. She hated when the two of them were on their phone and games because they didn't talk to anyone.

"I'll take care of that." Gabby walked with a determined step towards the room that harboured both teenagers. She walked in and waited for some kind of reaction but both of them seemed more interested in what was in front of them than the new visitor. She walked up to Diego and pulled the video game out of his hands.

"HEY!" He stood up, ready to argue with whoever was there for taking away his game but when he saw who it was, his bright smile lit up like it usually did when he saw her. "Gabby." He wrapped his arms around her waist.

"Hey buddy." Up until now, it had always been auntie Gabby but she guessed it was just part of growing up.

"What are you doing here?"

"We came over for dinner."

"Is Matt there too?" He looked up hopefully.

"Yeah, he's in the kitchen with everyone else." He gave her an extra hug before bouncing off out of the room.

"Hi Eva." Gabby tried but she simply looked up from her phone and looked back down at the screen without so much as a word to her aunt.

"Eva Marie Dawson! Is this how your parents raised you?" The young girl stood up and put her phone away in her pocket.

"Hi Gabby." They shared a smile, the same smile they always did and Eva finally came to hug her aunt before they went into the kitchen to help get dinner ready. After everything was in the stove and everyone waited for it to be ready, Eva, Diego and the two sets of twins helped set the table with everything they were given to do that task.

"Thanks for having us over for dinner mom even though it wasn't planned." Gabby sat at the counter with her mother, Laura and Eva.

"We always love having you and all the kids."

"There's actually a reason why we stopped by unexpectedly." She eyed Matt who returned her smile. "Matt and I have some news for everyone." He was now standing next to her with his arm around her waist, giving her a squeeze to give her courage. "Matt asked me to marry him last night." She smiled broadly.

"And she said yes."

"Abuelo Carlos, Abuela Isabel!" Everyone looked in the direction the boys ran and hugged their paternal grand-parents. Gabby's eyes locked with her in-laws and she turned white as a sheet.

"Gabriella, what is this?" Isabel said.

* * *

 **a/n: Uh oh. On an unexpected visit to her parents, an even more unexpected surprised was waiting for them.** **Is Gabby and Matt's engagement bliss about to blow to little pièces with the arrival of Alberto's parents? I hope that you guys enjoyed this chapter and please leave a review before you leave, I love to know what you guys think. - Sarra**


	66. In-Laws

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and the kids names.**

 **a/n: Thanks for everyone who showed so much love to the last chapter and welcome to the new readers. So I figured I'd give you guys an update before Christmas so enjoy the read.**

* * *

Gabby stood there, ghost white, not a single word coming out of her mouth. She had no idea that Alberto's parents were in town and most importantly, the last time they had spoken, she had failed to mention her new relationship with Matt. For one, the subject hadn't come up and second, they were only short phone calls, mainly to know how the kids were doing.

"Carlos, Isabel." She finally stuttered. "I didn't know you guys were coming." She was slowly starting to find her voice.

"It was meant to be a surprise." Carlos smiled tightly. The two boys were flanking their grand-parents while Valentina came to stand behind Matt's legs. The little girl hadn't seen her grand-parents in a long time and she was suddenly shy, as if they were strangers.

"Hey sweetie, you remember your Abuelo and Abuela." Matt had picked her up but her face was hiding in his neck. "Say hi." He poked her side, Valentina hiding even more in his neck.

"It's ok." Isabel said. "She hasn't seen us in a long time."

"Matthew." Matt looked at Esmeralda. "How about you settle Valentina in her high chair, dinner is ready." Anyone could see that Esmeralda was trying to get the evening moving past this uncomfortable situation.

"Sure. Do you need any help in the kitchen?" He offered as Valentina was settled in her chair safely.

"How about you help Gabby get the dishes?" She knew that Gabby needed to take some air right now because the colour hadn't all returned to her face. Matt gently guided her towards the kitchen for some more quiet time with her so he could get her stress levels down a bit.

"Hey, are you ok?" His hands were on her hips and he could feell her shake lightly. When she didn't answer, he placed a kiss to her temple. "Gabby, baby. Talk to me." He whispered to her ear. She suddenly turned to face him.

"What the hell are they doing here?" She hissed, her anger suddenly bubbling at the surface.

"You heard Carlos, they wanted to surprise you and the kids for a visit."

"I'm surprised all right." Her anger was coming out of her pores but suddenly Matt understood why she was so angry.

"I take it that you haven't told them that we're engaged." But one look on Gabby's face and he understood that it was more than that. "They didn't even know that you were dating." One look at Matt's face and Gabby knew that she had hurt him.

"I tried to tell them Matt, I really did. But everytime I decided I was going to tell them, I knew that I'd break their heart and I couldn't bring myself to do that to them, not so soon after their son died." She sighed, her anger now gone.

"I get it." He tried to choose his words. "It hurts but I get it."

"That's not what I was trying to do Matt." She pressed her palm to his cheek and leaned up on her toes to kiss him. "I love you and nothing that they say is going to change that ok?"

"I love you too." He whispered against her lips as they parted. "Come on, let's get this food out before we get a riot on our hands." Matt kissed her forehead and they both got as many dishes out as they could, Antonio and Laura helping with the other ones as all four older adults sat at the table drinking wine under the kids chatter.

"So Matt, Edouardo tells me your a firefighter." Carlos was trying to engage his daughter in-law's boyfriend, trying to get a reading on him.

While Gabby and Matt had been in the kitchen, Edouardo and Esmeralda had told Isabel and Carlos a little bit more about the man their daughter was dating and how he had been good to her since they had met.

"Yes sir." Matt squeezed Gabby's hand under the table as he felt her become more agitated from this new interrogation session. "I'm lieutenant of my company and I'm a general contractor when I don't run into burning buildings."

"That must not leave you a lot of time to spend with Gabriella and the kids."

"Carlos." Both Gabby and Isabel hissed. Even though it had stung Isabel's heart when she had heard of Matt's proposal and Gabby's positive answer but she also knew that her beautiful daughter in-law couldn't stay alone to raise three kids forever.

"It's ok." He assured the both of them. He understood completely, the same way he had understood it when Edouardo had questionned him in the begining of their relationship. "I've cut down on my contracting hours ever since the girls were born but I did all the renovations on our house. How about you come for breakfast tomorrow?" Gabby's head whipped to the side and looked at Matt with her mouth slightly opened.

"That would be lovely Matt." Isabel smiled at him. Gabby put some food in her mouth to prevent from saying anything she'd regret. Matt hadn't missed the look she had given him though but for now, he'd ignore it. He knew they'd have plenty of time to talk about it later. They all small talk during dinner and as soon as the kids were done eating, they were excused so the adults could talk some more.

Both Matt and Gabby were happy though when the subject moved away from them and onto Antonio and Laura. "How about you kids go relax with the children and we'll cleaning up the table." Esmeralda suggested.

"Let me help you mom." Gabby protested.

"Oh shush, go on." Her mother wanted nothing of it.

"The food was great as always Esmeralda." Matt commented as they got up.

"It's always a pleasure Matthew." They smiled at each other before all four of them went towards the living room.

As soon as they passed the threshold, Gabby pulled Matt to the side. "What are you doing?" She hissed at him.

"It's only breakfast baby. They deserve to know about your life and make sure you're in good hands."

"I am in good hands."

"We both know that but if this is all it takes to ease their worries, I say why not."

"I swear Matt, you're too good for me." She leaned her head against his chest.

"Get used to it because that's how it's going to be from now on." He gently cupped her cheeks and forced her to look at him before he leaned down and pressed a sweet kiss to her lips. She mellowed into the kiss and then they went to settle in the living room where Antonio was waiting for them with a beer, Laura on the ground with Valentina doing a puzzle. They accepted the beer and Matt pulled Gabby next to him and settled her legs on his lap, his hand absentmindedly rubbing her leg.

"Why didn't you tell me they were in town?" Gabby accused her brother.

"I found out when I came over today sis. I would have given you a head's up if I knew before that." Gabby could see in his face that he was telling the truth.

"What do you think they're talking about in there?" Gabby craned her neck to try to see or overhear something.

"Stop worrying about this baby." Matt patted her leg.

"It's not good for you." Antonio added. "They can't expect you to stay widowed forever and Matt is a great guy, they'll see that." Gabby dropped the subject altogether, letting the four adults enjoy an evening.

Isabel and Carlos helped clear the table while they did small talk with both Esmeralda and Edouardo but Gabby's parents soon retreated to the kitchen, they two washing the dishes, coffee already on the pot.

"Stop spying on them Carlos." Isabel pulled him away.

"But look at them Isabel."

"All I see, Carlos Ramirez, are two young people in love."Gabby had her head back in laughter and her legs were still drapped across Matt's lap while Antonio was telling them something.

"It's as if it never happened." This scene was hurting him far more than it was hurting his wife.

"Carlos." Isabel sighed. "I know it hurts but Gabriella is a beautiful young woman and you cannot expect her to stay alone forever."

"I know but so soon?"

"Don't do this to yourself Carlos." She ran her hand against his chest. "Matt seems like a wonderful young man if you ask me and I know that Alberto would want her to be happy." She made him look at them, really look at them. .You have to admit that she looks happy." Isabel heard the low grunt coming from her husband but she only chuckled. "Come on. Let's go help Esmeralda with the coffee and tomorrow we'll spend some nice time with our grand kids and our daughter in-law."

"Fine." He said defeated and they helped with desert and coffee. Valentina had fallen asleep on the couch but all the other kids came barelling in at the mention of chicolate cake. Even though Gabby and Matt knew that it would spell trouble for them later but tonight was a spacial occasion and they were aloud to have two small pieces each.

Matt and Gabby were the first to leave after desert. The boys were fighting off sleep to be able to spend more time with their grand-parents and Matt already had a sleeping Emma in his arms. "We're looking forward to having you over tomorrow." Matt extended his hand to Carlos, Emma easily held in his other arm. They shook hands firmly before Matt offered Edouardo his hand and Esmeralda a kiss.

"What time would be better for the two of you?" Isabel knew what it was like to have small children but it was only polite to ask.

"The kids will be up early so around 9 is fine." Gabby smiled at her mother in-law.

"We'll see you in the morning then." The both women hugged and Antonio helped the couple get the kids to the car and it didn't take long before everyone was in bed, tomorrow being another big day.

"I think it went well." Matt pulled Gabby to him under the sheets.

"I think Carlos isn't happy." She mumbled.

"It's going to be fine." He turned on his side to face her. "Antonio is right, worrying isn't good for you." He pushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I know I just can't help this feeling of tightness inside my chest, like I'm letting someone down." She sighed, looking down.

"Baby, look at me." Matt had to hook his fingers under her chin to make her look at him. "You are letting no one down. You are the most caring and generous person I know and you deserve every bit of happiness you're getting, don't ever doubt that. And I can only guess what's going through your in-laws head right now but I know that deep down, they want your happiness too." The kiss he gave her was feather light and he pulled her tighter in his embrace.

Matt knew what is was like to lose someone but he knew nothing of what Gabby was going through. All he knew is that he was going to stand by her side through all of it and show everyone that they were meant to be together and that he was able to take care of them. He made sure that Gabby was sleeping soundly in his arms before he let sleep consume him, tomorrow another big day for the Casey-Dawson household.

* * *

 **a/n: So here it is. I wanted the first meeting to be awkward and Alberto's parents don't quite see eye to eye about Gabby dating, let alone being engaged again. Will breakfast with Gabby, Matt and the kids sway Carlos shaky feelings towards the situation or will the pang in his heart stop him from being happy for his daughter in-law?.**

 **Please take a few seconds to review before you leave, I really want to know what you guys think and if I don't update another story before this week-end and the next one, I want to wish all my readers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Love - Sarra**


	67. In-Laws 2

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and the kids names.**

 **a/n: Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed the last chapter, I'm glad you liked it so here's the second part, hope you like it too.**

* * *

Gabby had spent part of the night turning in bed and even though Matt had tried to reassure her that breakfast with her in-laws wasn't the end of the world, she was stressed out. She finally gave up on sleep around five so she decided to get up and get breakfast started so everything would be ready for nine when her in-laws would get here. She made some traditional Dominican dishes and Matt's french toast mix with bacon and a very large plate of fruit for everyone.

"Baby, you need to relax." Gabby tensed under Matt's touch.

"I can't." Matt gently spun her around.

"Let me help with that." He leaned down and captured her lips in a kiss. Her arm came to rest around his neck and she leaned into the kiss. "Is that better?" He whispered against her lips.

"Mmmm. A little." She re-opened her eyes and smiled. "How are the kids not awake yet?" She looked over his shoulder to find no one.

"Enjoy the quiet." He chuckled. "Worst case scenario they'll still be in pj's when Carlos and Isabel arrive."

"Is grandma there already?" They looked to find Luis rubbing sleep out of his eyes.

"Not yet buddy but it shouldn't be too long. You want cartoons in the living room?"

"With a glass of milk?"

"Yeah, with a glass of milk." He chuckled, winking at Gabby. The two boys made their way to the living room and Matt settled for the junior version of the Disney channel and Luis was good to go, Gabby bringing him his glass of milk. "How about you go change?" He kissed her temple as she watched her son from the side.

"Good idea." She said, her eyes landing on the clock that said it was 8:30.

"It's going to be ok." He pulled her back by the wrist, the two sharing one last kiss before she bounced up the stairs. Both Emma and Grace came down while Gabby was still upstairs and they joined Luis on the couch.

"Matt." He turned to find Valentina at the bottom of the stairs.

"Hey baby girl." He scooped her up in his arms, the doorbell ringing at the same time. She leaned her head against his shoulder as he answered, the kids grand parents on the other side of the door. "Hi, come in." He let some space to let them come in. Isabel had a plate wrapped in foil in her hands and he took it in his free one. "The kids will be happy to see you."

"Where are they?" Isabel asked, surprised they hadn't been swarmed by them.

"In the living room. Anything to drink Carlos?" Matt started walking to the kitchen, Valentina still in his arms.

"I wouldn't say no to some coffee, thank you." Carlos had promised his wife that he'd give the man a chance and that's what he was going to do.

 _Carlos and Isabel walked through their hotel room door late after dinner at the Dawson's. They had stayed there longer after Antonio and Laura had left, taking an alcoholic coffee and chatting with their daughter-in-law's parents._

 _"This was, interresting." Carlos put his coat away._

 _"Don't start this again, please." Isabel begged, doing the same as her husband._

 _"Come on Isabel, you cannot tell me that it didn't bother you to her with him like that, as if nothing happened."_

 _"Of course it hurts my love but she is a beautiful young woman that something bad happened to and we cannot ask her to stop living her life."_

 _"But did she have to flaunt it in front of us?" He raised his arms up in the air in frustration._

 _"She didn't even know we were coming." She tried to reason with him._

 _"And what did she do when she knew we were there? She acted as if didn't care about us and was glued to him all night."_

 _"Carlos." She said sternly. "Stop it." She felt the pang of hurt in her heart from seeing her husband like this._

 _"Why would I?" She knew that some part of this was the alcohol talking but she needed him to see things from hers and Gabby's perspective._

 _"That's enough." Carlos stopped his ranting instantly and looked at his wife. She didn't often get mad but he could see in her eyes that she was upset with him right now._

 _"Bella." He walked to her and ran his thumb against her cheek._

 _"I know it hurts Carlos and it hurts me too." She looked down but he made her look back up at him. "Alberto would want her to be happy." She said with tears in her eyes. "He loved her and those kids with all he had and he wouldn't want her to be lonely forever, he'd want her to move on and give those kids a happy life."_

 _"But what happens when she forgets?" That was the real reason he was so against Matt and Gabby's relationship._

 _"She could never forget, not anymore than we ever could. Just one look at those two boys and no one would ever forget." Luis and Filippe looked like their father a lot and just thinking back at pictures of Alberto at the same age as they are now and no one would ever doubt they were his._

 _"They remind me of Alberto."_

 _"Exactly. Give Matt a chance and from what I've seen so far, he'll show us that he's worthy of taking care of her and our grandkids."_

 _"I'll try."_

 _"That's all I ask of you is to try. I love you."_

 _"I love you too." They shared a kiss before they got ready for bed._

Matt poured a cup of coffee each and Carlos took a seat at the kitchen table. "This is a beautiful kitchen Matt." Carlos look around him at the brand new, state of the art kitchen appliances.

"Gabby's the cook around here." He chuckled. "I made it for her really." His fingers were playing in Valentina's curls.

"You should set her down Matt, she must be starting to be heavy."

"It's ok. She always cuddles up to me like that in the morning, right Tina?" The little girl sat up straighter on his lap and smiled up at him.

"Yes."

"How about some milk?" She nodded in response. He set her down on his chair and got a sippy cup ready for her.

"There they are." Matt looked up to see Gabby and Isabel with their arms around each other's waist.

"Hey." Matt smiled at them and greeted Gabby with a kiss on the cheek. "Need help with breakfast?"

"Help me set the table." Gabby helped Valentina to the ground and she ran towards the living room to join the others. Matt pulled out all the dishes and the kids lined up to help, like they usually did.

Once everyone was seated, they started eating, the kids goofing off a bit like they normally did every morning.

"So, Emma and Grace, Gabby tells me that you're the same age as Luis and Filippe?" Isabel wanted to know more about Matt's kids, specially if they were going to get married in the near future.

"We're going to be in first grade in September." Grace proudly announced.

"That's very impressive." She smiled at her.

"We're going to start reading and writing too." Emma added.

"I love reading." Isabel told them. "I love Peter Pan."

"Me too." Grace smiled. It was the book she always wanted to have before bedtime.

"When you know how to read, you'll discover a whole new world of fun." She promised them. Gabby was more than happy that it was going so well and Matt squeezed her knee Under the table, giving her a smile and a wink. Carlos was in deep conversation with the twins during breakfast, catching up on their life for the past year.

"You have to come see our room Abuelo, it's really cool." Filippe exclaimed loudly.

"I'd love to." He shared a look with Matt and nodded. They finished eating and both Matt and Gabby piled the dishes in the sink before they followed everyone up the stairs, both twins pulling their grand parents up the stairs.

"This is going better than I thought." She whispered.

"I told you it would be ok." He whispered back with a smile as they walked up the stairs.

"Did you make all of this Matt?" Carlos asked as the couple made it to the top on the stairs.

"I did. I thought Valentina would love a princess themed room." Matt leaned against the doorframe, everyone in the room. "I thought she'd like that too." Carlos now held the frame that held the picture of Alberto holding a newborn Valentina in his arms. Carlos didn't say a word but Matt could see he was emotional as he set it back down on the side table.

"Come on Abuelo, come see our room." Luis tugged on his arm.

"Alright, let's go have a look." He smiled at them, patting Matt on the arm on his way out. They had already seen the girls room while they waited for Matt and Gabby to make it upstairs so they stopped at the boys' room next. They pushed the door open to reveal the firefighter/police theme room, along with the bunk beds.

"You're work too?" He looked back at Matt for confirmation again.

"I had help from Luis and Filippe."

"And chief Boden and tio Antonio." Luis was excited to tell his Abuelo all about their room.

"Is that so?"

"Uh huh. Chief Boden from Fifty One, where Matt works, he's the one who got us all the cool firefighter stuff." Luis said.

"And tio Antonio got us all the police stuff." Filippe added.

"That is a pretty cool room you have there boys." Isabel smiled at them. Both her and Carlos had noticed the frames in the twins room too. One was of Alberto with both of them, newborn and the second one was of him with Luis over his shoulder and Filippe under an arm, the three of them laughing.

"Come on kids, let's all go back downstairs and give Gabby some time alone with Abuela and Abuelo."

"But." Luis was starting to protest as the girls had already left the room.

"No buts Luis. Mommy needs to be with daddy's parents alone." Matt wasn't leaving anything up for discussion and Luis walked out of his room with his head hung low. "I'll be downstairs." He kissed her on the corner of her mouth.

"Thanks." She smiled at him before she let them alone to go check out the last room upstairs.

"All the rooms are wonderful." Isabel wrapped her arm around Gabby's waist.

"Matt has worked so hard on them but he kept the best surprise for ours." They walked all the way to the last room down the hall. What hit both Isabel and Carlos wasn't the beauty and peaceful vibe the room was giving off but the frames that were lining up the wall on Gabby's side of the bed. "I know how hard this must be for the two of you but you have to know that it hasn't been easy for me either." Isabel's arm was still wrapped around Gabby's waist. "I miss him everyday." Gabby's eyes were now watering.

A few pictures had been added since Matt's reveal of the room but that space was reserved for her life with Alberto.

"Finding out about your engagement to Matt." Carlor chocked up but looked at Gabby. "I was afraid you'd forget." He admitted.

"I'd never forget Carlos." She took his hand in hers. "Moving on has been the hardest thing I've had to do but I know that Alberto would want us to be happy."

"I know."

"Matt has been very patient with me and his strength is one of the reasons that I haven't sunk in that dark place I was in after he passed. He fixed this house from top to bottom for us and he's the one who made this wall happen."

"He did all of this?" Carlos looked back at the pictures. "But why?"

"Because he loves me and he understands my past. He loves the kids as if they were his but he's not trying to take his place in their hearts." Isabel gave Gabby's side a gentle squeeze.

"Than you've found the perfect Partner my dear."

"Thank you Isabel." The two hugged.

"I was wrong about him." Gabby couldn't help but smile at him. She knew he was the one who was most threatened by her new status with Matt but she was glad that he was on her side now. "I know Alberto would approuve." He came to then and Gabby moved from Isabel's embrace to Carlos's.

"Thank you." She whispered into him.

The three of them closed the door to the room and walked back downstairs to join the kids who were all playing in the living room, Gabby finding Matt in the kitchen, his hands in the dish soap, washing the dishes.

"Thank you." She whispered against his back, her hands wrapping around his waist.

"Anything for you." He dried his hands off and turned in her arms. "I love you and that also includes your past so I'm happy the three of you had a chance to talk." He cupped her cheeks and leaned down. kissing her gently.

"Let's go join them."

The couple walked towards the living room, her arm around his waist and his around her shoulder. They spent another couple of hours before Carlos and Isabel had to leave.

"You have a beautiful home Matt. Thank you for inviting us over." Isabel kissed his cheek.

"It was a pleasure to meet you."

"The please was ours" He extended his hand and Matt shook it firmly. "Thank you for taking good care of them."

"I'd do anything for them."

"I know, they're in good hands." Carlos shared a smile with Gabby before pulling Matt in for a hug, patting him on the back.

"Your welcome back here anytime." Matt said as they pulled away. Carlos nodded and both him and Isabel said goodbye to their grandkids before keeping their last hug for Gabby before they left. They watched them get into the car and drive away before they spent the rest of the day as a family, all the kids still in their pj's.

* * *

 **a/n: The awkward dinner gave way to a nice breakfast the next morning even though Carlos had his doubts. I hope you guys liked how I wrote it cuz it wasn't how I had planned it at first so please take a few seconds to tell me what you think - Sarra**


	68. Flirting and misunderstandings

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and the kids names.**

 **a/n: Thank you to everyone who left a review on the previous chapter and specially thank you for your patience with me. Life has been extremely busy, at work AND at home plus a huge case of writers block where this story is concerned which leads me to thank a few people. Em, Whit and Emma, thanks for letting me bounce my ideas off of you, it helped a lot with the block, love you. So here is the next chapter, hope you like it.**

* * *

Things had quieted down a lot in the Casey/Dawson household since Alberto's parents had left and the family was now able to relax a bit more, the end of summer nearing at a fast pace. The kids were playing in the yard one evening while Matt and Gabby were doing the dishes.

"What's going on in that head of yours?" Matt had been watching her for a few minutes while he dried the dishes she handed him mecanically.

"Everything is fine." She smiled back at him.

"I've known you long enough to know when something is off." He took the plate she handed him.

"There's only one week left until school starts."

"Summer has gone by quickly this year."

"It's not that I just can't believe that Valentina starts pre-K, she's so little." Her eyes looked back outside where she was saw Valentina playing with Emma and Grace, doing bubbles and running after them, the girls laughing.

"She'll be fine." He put his rag down and pulled her to him by the waist. She has two great big brothers and look at the girls with her. Grace was now giving her a piggy back ride, her arms wrapped tightly around her neck. "See, you have nothing to worry about." He turned her so she could face him and leaned down to capture her lips in a kiss.

"I guess your right." She smiled at him when they parted.

"I'm always right." He smirked, earning him a slap against the chest.

"Anyways." She rolled her eyes playfully at him. "Are we still on for lunch tomorrow?" She played with his short collar.

"Absolutely." He kissed her but they were soon swarmed by five, very excited kids.

"Can we have some ice cream?" Emma asked with a huge grin on her face.

"And what do we say?" He teased them.

"Pleaseeeee." All five of them asked in unison, both Matt and Gabby fell into laughed. The kids were qickly seated as Matt made ice cream cones for everyone, leaving the adults to watch them eat, their arms wrapped around each other. After running around in the yard and taking their baths, the kids were exhausted and it didn't take that much time to get them asleep, Matt and Gabby enjoying the last light of the day on the patio with a glass of wine.

"Matt?" Gabby's legs were propped on his knees.

"Yeah."

"I know nothing is set right now with everything that's happened in the last couple of weeks but I had a few ideas floating around in my head for the wedding." She took a sip of her glass of wine.

"How about we ask someone to check on the kids after my shift let's out and we can spend the evening with those ideas?" He pulled her chair closer to his. "Just the two of us." He took her both their glasses and set them on the table on his left before he pulled her on him, making her straddle him.

"And maybe practice our wedding night." She whispered seductively against his lips.

"We don't have to wait until then to do that." He kissed her as he raised them both from the chair, leading them back inside and up the stairs towards their room, wine and lights on forgotten.

Matt woke up the next morning and Gabby was still tucked into his side. He left her sleep as he heard the kids awake downstairs and he made sure everyone was getting breakfast and was dressed before he had to wake up her. At the top of the stairs, he noticed that the door was ajar so he made his way inside quietly, knowing she was probably in the shower so he waited for her on the bed. He had a few minutes left to spare and he leaned against his arms on top of the freshly made bed. Their eyes met when she stepped back into the room and he smiled at her.

"You should have woken me up." She walked to him as she tightened the towel around her body.

"You looked peaceful and I had some time ahead of me." His fingers played with the material of the towel as his eyes traveled her body up and down.

"If you do what I know you want to do, you'll be the one that's late."

"Huh? What did you say?" Her voice pulled him out of his thoughts.

"I said that if you do what I know you want to do, you'll be the one that's late." She ran her fingers through his hair.

"Yeah." He sighed, getting up. "I'll see you later for lunch." He kissed her.

"Definitely." She kissed him back, pressing her tongue against his lips, giving him a taste of what he'd be missing until she came to see him at the firehouse later. "I love you."

"I love you too." He smiled at her before he left. The firehouse was already packed by the time he made it in with barely enough time to change into his uniform before he had to head into the conferance room. Boden wasn't even half way through his speech when the bells rang, calling them to house fire. Another call came in right after, everyone called to a warehouse involving an incident with a machine and an employee. Matt, Kelly and Squad 3 were in the thick of the rescue along with the girls on ambo so obviously, Matt was in the ambulance to assist them in case the patient took a turn for the worst.

Their stop in Med was fairly quick but Matt offered to fill in the paperwork while the girls cleaned up so obviously, after giving Maggie the paperwork, he went upstairs to pay Gabby a surprise visit. But when he made into the department, he wasn't ready for what was waiting for him. Gabby was standing at the nurse station and next to her was a tall man in a lab coat. They were in deep discussion and all he could hear was the sound of her laugh, a laugh that she usually reserved for him only. Instantly, his body became hotter and he could feel that heat raise up to his face, anger rising with it. He turned in his spot and took the stairs down, pushing the door with anger.

Gabby turned at the sound of the door that banged hard against its frame, her eyes glancing at the ghost of pants, making her frown. She wasn't sure if she had hallucinated turnout pants or not but she was quickly called to see one of her young pateints that wasn't doing so good. She was more than happy when lunch time came and as she always did when she went to see Matt, she stopped at the diner to bring him his favourite sandwich. She parked her car and walked up the apparatus floor where she got a hug from Kelly who told her he was in his office but in a bad mood for some reason that was lost on him too. She waved at everyone in the common room and went straight for Matt's office. She watched him through the glass, the anger tensing his muscles.

"Hey baby, I got your favourite." She quietly knocked on his opened door. Matt didn't even acknowledge her and it was starting to worry her. "Is everything ok Matt?"

"You tell me."

"What happened today Matt?" His shoulders tightened yet again. "Talk to me." She took a step further inside so she could take a seat on his bed.

"Do you really want to get married?" He suddenly turned in his chair, his question making her take a step back.

"Where is this coming from? Did I do anything to make you think that I don't want too?" It hurt her that he would think such a thing after last night and this morning.

"Young, tall doctor. That ring a bell for you?" Her mind tried to remember who she had interracted with today and then it hit her.

"Are you talking about Dr Mason?"

"Whatever his name was, you looked like you were having a lot of fun him." His arms were crossed against his chest, anger rolling off of him in waves.

"He's just a resident Matt." She took a step forward again but Matt rolled his chair farther behind him. "He was telling us about his week end, there's NOTHING going on between us.

"It didn't exactly look like nothing."

"If I didn't want to get married, Matt, I wouldn't be wearing the ring YOU gave me." He raised her hand up to show him the ring that was sitting there, her anger starting to get the best of her too. Time wouldn't be on their side right now because the bells rang and Matt stood up and left without another word, letting Gabby there, fuming. She couldn't believe that he had the nerve to insinuate that something, anything, was going on with that resident was making her angry, so angry that she took the only step seperating her from Matt's desk and the anger took her over and she slammed her fists against his desk, its contents flying to the ground as she cried in anger before storming out of 51 and into the Chicago air to get her bearings before heading back into work and the rest of her shift.

When Nathalie saw the look on Gabby's face, she knew not to ask questions so she let her nurse do her job, knowing that she would come see her if she needed to vent. Gabby did her afternoon with Matt on her mind, anger still there but she stayed Professional. A call came in a few minutes later and Nathalie sent her into the ER for a little patient that was coming in with hypothermia and the scene that was waiting for her made her anger explode.

"How dare you."

"Gabby." Matt was taken aback, clearly not expecting her there.

"How DARE you accuse me of flirting and I come down here and I catch you doing the same?" The nurse that was previously been talking to Matt had disappeared from view, not wanting to be in the middle of a lovers argument.

"Woah, Gabby, I wasn't flirting." He raised his hands in defence but she was having nothing of it.

"Says the guy with the huge grin on his face."

"Gabby." She felt a pull on her shoulder. "You're making a scene." Shay's voice whispered in her ear but Gabby simply pulled away and stormed away to go take care of the little girl that had been brought in.

51 quickly left Med, Matt clearly still shocked at Gabby's reaction but as soon as they stepped into the firehouse and that Ambo was parked, Shay was the first to get in his face.

"What the hell did you do to make her this angry?" Shay hissed.

"I didn't do anything Shay, she just came at me."

"You better think hard and fix this." She growled at him before she left to find something to find to eat." Matt left for his office, hoping to get the incident report out of the way but he definitely wasn't expecting what was in front of him.

"Damn, Casey, what the hell happened here?" Severide stood beside him, clapping a hand on his shoulder.

"Shit." He hung his head low, everything coming together in his mind. "Must be Gabby. I was pretty mad at her when she came by for lunch."

"What the hell for?"

"I kind of accused her of flirting with some doctor and about her not wanting to get married." He ran a hand on his face.

"Bad move lieutenant." Cruz added his two cents on his way to his bunk.

"I need to make this right, I'll try calling her."

"Good luck." Severide gave him another pat on the back before he left his best friend to mick up the mess and fix things with his girl.

Matt closed the door to his office and left the mess as was, this phone call more important than cleaning up his office. It rang and rang and rang and still she didn't pick up the phone. "Come on baby, pick up your phone." He said under his breath. Then it beeped, going to voicemail. _You've reached Gabriella Dawson, leave a message._ "Gabby, baby, I know you're mad at me and you have every right to be pissed but please, please pick up the phone so we can talk about it." He sighed as he pressed the end button. He was mad at himself for letting his jealousy get the best of him and it was something he'd have to work on moving forward. He set his phone down on his desk and started picking up the pieces of papers that was on the ground and putting everything in its place. He bent down the piece of paper on the ground and noticed something on the side of his desk, a picture frame. He picked it up and the glass was cracked. It was the picture that Shay had taken a while back where Gabby was sitting on his lap at Molly's and they were making out. He really needed to make this right. He set the frame back on his desk and left his office, going in search of Herrmann and chief Boden. "Hey Herrmann, you mind stepping in for me for a little bit? Is that ok chief?"

"Do what you've gotta do Casey."

"Thanks chief." Matt hurried to his truck and made his way to Med and up into peds but he came face to face with Nathalie.

"I think you should go." She raised her hands to stop him, Matt mere inches from her.

"I need to make this right Nathalie." He knew how close Gabby was to her boss.

"I don't know what you did because she won't tell me but she's been upset ever since she came back up with that little girl so just give her some space and try talking to her in the morning."

"Please Nat."

"I'm sorry Matt, Gabby is on shift." Matt knew that he wouldn't win.

"Tell her I love her and that I'm sorry." Nathalie nodded before Matt turned around, defeated, and left.

When he wasn't on a call, he stayed in his office, feeling miserable about not being to get in touch with Gabby. When darkness came and no call had rang, he tried her one last time on her cell but again, it went to voicemail. "I know that I've been a complete ass and I put you in an impossible situation but I love you and I'm sorry. Anyways, I'll see you at home in the morning. Night." He pressed the end button and discarded his phone across his desk before he laid down on his cot, both hands behind his head. He had really messed up this time and he wouldn't be surprised if she didn't forgive him.

They were lucky enough not to have any calls during the night so as soon as Boden was done with their end of shift briefing, Matt didn't waste any time to get out of there. He stopped at the store close to their house where he knew they had fresh flowers every morning and he picked something out for her before he stepped into the hjouse, dropping his duffle bag by the door. The house was unusually quiet so he figured Gabby had either asked someone to babysit the kids of she had sent them off in the basement to play quietly. He walked up the stairs and when he saw the soft glow of the light, he knew Gabby was still in their room. He looked in the kids rooms by habit and walked all the way to his and Gabby's room, pushing the door open, Gabby looking up with tears in her eyes, Matt's heart breaking into pieces.

"Hey." He whispered, the flowers in his hand, sitting against his leg.

* * *

 **a/n: So although Matt and Gabby started the day on a good nite, it became rocky, fast. Can they fix it or did Matt's jealousy push them in opposite directions? Please take a few seconds to leave a review before you go, I want to know your thoughts - Sarra**


	69. Fears and Hope

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and the kids names.**

 **a/n: As always, thanks for the response the previous chapter has gotten. I know there's a lot of delay between chapters but work and home are getting crazier every day but hopefully with spring things will quiet down and I'll be able to write more. Here's the second half of the SL, enjoy.**

* * *

Silence filled the room as Matt and Gabby looked at each other. Gabby's fingers came to crush the tears that were still rolling down her cheeks, Matt taking a few steps into the room.

"I'm sorry." He hung his head low.

"Why did you do it Matt?" He looked back up at the hurt look on her face.

"I." He started but he didn't have an explanation.

"You can't keep doing that Matt." She sniffled. "Do you not trust me?" Matt's expression turned to a hurt look of his own.

"I trust you with everything in me." He took a seat on the side of their bed.

"You don't act like you do. I've seen you jealous Matt, but never like that."

"I don't know what came over me." He tried to take her hand in his but she recoiled from his touch. "Gabby?"

"I gave my heart to you Matt. You know how scared I was to move on after Alberto and you understood. You understood not to push me and I trusted you with everything I have by saying yes when you asked me to marry you."

"I know." But Gabby simply raised her hand, telling him to interrupt her.

"But you can't act like that every time I talk to a man and you need to trust me as much as I trust you."

"I'll do better I promise." She finally let him take her hand in his. "Let me prove it to you." He nervously played with her engagement ring.

"I just need some space." The hurt look on Matt's face broke her heart but she needed some time to let go of the anger and pain she was feeling in her heart right now.

"I mean it Gabby, I'll make it up to you."

"Please." She pleaded with him.

"Okay." He sighed. "I have a construction job this afternoon so I'll give you all the time alone you need." He stood up and kissed her temple. She watched as he grabbed a fresh set of clothes and headed towards the bathroom down the hall, the one the kids used. Only when she watched him make his way down the stairs did she find the strength to pull herself out of the bed and into the shower, hoping the water would give her some fresh perspective. She changed into some yoga pants and v-neck and let her hair in ringlets around her face.

She quietly walked down the stairs, knowing Matt was down for the count and she slipped out the door and towards the diner where Shay had asked her to meet for a late breakfast. She walked inside and found her friend in a booth in the back.

"Hey sweetie, how are you?" She wrapped Gabby in a tight hug that she returned and they sat down.

"I'm still mad, disappointed, hurt." She wrapped her hands around the fresh cup of coffee the waitress had brought them. "I thought he trusted me more than that." Gabby's tears reappeared in her eyes.

"Oh sweetie, he trusts you more than anything. I think it's just his insecurities that are coming out."

"I haven't given him any reason to be insecure about us." Shay moved her hand across the table and took Gabby's in hers.

"I know Gabs but the two of you need to talk about this misunderstanding. You can't let something that silly pull you apart."

"I know I just, I told him I needed a bit of space."

"Gabby." Leslie warned. "Tell me you didn't kick him out."

"I didn't do that, I just asked for some space. He said he has this construction job this afternoon, that he'd give me all the space I needed."

"Talk to him when he gets back from his job, work it out. I need my Dawsey to make it down the isle." Gabby laughed candidly at the nickname Leslie insisted on using when she refered to the two of them.

"You have no idea how much I want that."

"So after we're done here, you are going to go home, talk it out and have some make-up sex."

"Les." Gabby blushed a deep shade of red and nodded. The girls ordered and spent a few quality hours together.

It took Matt about twenty minutes of tossing and turning on the couch before he fell in an agitated sleep. The muscles of his body kept tensing as images danced in front of his eyes. Gabby figured in most of them, the two arguying, Gabby walking out each time. His arms were crossed over his chest and his leg gave a twitch, his eyes moving faster behind his eyelids, the next nightmare even more taxing on his body and his mind than the previous ones. His body started thrashing for a few long minutes before he woke up in a cold sweat, his breathing heavy and his heart pounding away in his chest.

He took a few deep breaths before getting off the couch and walking towards the bathroom. He splashed some water on his face and placed his hands on each side of the sink, looking at his reflexion. Each time he blinked, Gabby's face appeared, doing nothing to relax his body. He still had laboured breaths and his eyes were red, colour of blood. He splashed his face one more time, getting rid of the water with a towel and went in search of his phone. He found it lying on the ground next to the couch and he dialled Gabby's familiar number. It kept ringing but the sound only made his ears ring loudly.

"Pick up." He whispered under his breath but it went to voicemail. He closed his eyes as he listened to Gabby's voice. "Gabby, baby. Please call me so I know that you're ok, please." He pleaded into his phone before hanging up.

He knew he had to get to his job but the need for another shower to clear his mind was necessary. The water was cold against his skin, his hands against the shower walls, his eyes trying to blink his last nightmare away. He looked at his phone as soon as he wad done getting dressed but there wasn't any missed calls waiting for him so he Grabbed his things and left, leaving a note for Gabby on the table in case she returned home before he did later that afternoon. He looked back inside the house one more time before he left, locking the door behind him and making his way towards the house across town that had hired him to redo their porch and shed roof. The owners weren't there but he had access to the garage where all his supplies for the job were.

He would look at his phone ever so often, hoping Gabby had at least sent him a text to ease his mind but half way through the afternoon, still there was nothing. His nerves were starting to get the best of him and with every blink of the eyes, the vision of Gabby stuck in a fire was eating at him. The sun was starting to set when Matt packed all of his tools in his truck and headed home, still no missed phone call from his girl. He was lucky not to get pulled over on the way home for speeding but as he parked his truck in its spot, he noticed that Gabby's car still wasn't there. He waited to be inside before he dialed Shay's number, finally getting a answer.

"Shay, please tell me Gabby's with you and that she's ok?" **Sorry Matt, we split up after lunch but she was fine why?"** Nothing, thanks." He hung up without giving her any explanation. He paced the kitchen floor for minutes, running his hand through his hair. He tried Gabby's phone again, the call going to voicemail again. "DAMN IT." He yelled throwing his phone angrily on the kitchen table. He turned around as the door swung open and five kids came running Inside, the girls ramming into him with force.

"Daddy we missed you."

"I missed you too." He locked eyes with Gabby and she recognized the look.

"Alright everyone, the basement is calling your name." All four older kids looked at her with questionning looks. "And bring your sister." She told her sons, not bothering to give them an explanation, everyone knowing not to argue, Luis taking Valentina with them, giving Matt and Gabby time alone.

Matt bridged the distance between him and Gabby, pulling her against his body, his arms securing her tight against him. "You're ok." He breathed in her sent, glad to have her back home.

"Matt?" She didn't quite understand where this was coming from.

"I haven't been able to get a hold of you all day." He held her at arms length and looked her up and down, trying to see if anything was wrong with her.

"My cell phone died. Is everything ok Matt?"

"I had this really bad dream and I couldn't reach you and I was just about to go insane today." He leaned down and kissed her hard, wanting to feel her, know she was ok. She moaned against his lips, her hands lingering on his hips

"Matt, you're scaring me." She looked at him up and down, taking in the state he was in.

"I. I'm sorry, I was stupid and I don't ever want us to be mad at each other, it's not worth it."

"Matt, what happened?" She was starting to be worried.

"I dreamt I couldn't save you."

"In a fire?" He wasn't making a lot of sense so she asked more questions so it would become clearer.

"In a fire in our house." He kissed her again. "And I woke up and you were gone and you didn't pick up your phone all day and I was worried."

"I'm fine Matt." She promised him. "My phone died during breakfast with Shay and then I went to my parents house and to the park with the kids. I'm sorry I scared you."

"It's ok now." He hugged her again.

"How about we get the kids washed up and in bed and we can sit quietly in the living room and talk?" Matt simply nodded and squeezed her against him again.

They called the kids up and sent them for their pj's while Matt made the basement up with sleeping bags and pillows, popping a movie in for them. He knew that they'd fall asleep quickly, specially after a visit to his future in-laws and the park but he wanted to make sure that they'd have fun until sleep took them. All four kids came running downstairs, Gabby hot on the heels with Valentina in her arms.

"So who's ready for a movie?" All five kids instantly became excited and they got into their sleeping bags without having to be told and hugs were given out before Matt and Gabby went back upstairs, settling on the couch with a beer in hand . Gabby rested her legs on top of Matt's lap, who had his legs up against the living room table, quiet coming over them.

"Talk to me." She whispered to him after observing him, staring at the black television screen.

"It took me a while to fall asleep after my shower. I tossed and turned for I don't know how long before I fell asleep." He kept staring at the same spot on the television. "And after that, all I dreamed about was us fighting. You kept walking out, every single time." He recalled, the images vivid in his mind. Gabby kept watching him as he peeled the label off his bottle, clearly it had affected him a lot.

"And what happened in the one with the fire?"

"We got the call and when we got there, the fire was fully envolved. The kids weren't there but when I tried to get to you, it's as if I could never reach you. Every time I thought I had made it to you, it's as if just out of reach I woke up in a cold sweat."

"But I'm fine Matt. Where is this coming from?" She stopped his hand from scratching the label. He looked up at her and held eye contact before he answered her.

"You were so disappointed in me when I came in this morning. I gave you every right to be mad at me and I deserved every bit of that anger."

She took the beer bottle from his hand and placed it on the table before she straddled him, her small hands cupping his cheeks, making him look at her. "I was mad at you yesterday and I didn't understand what I had done to deserve the words you said to me and seeing you with that girl, it just set me off. We need to trust each other Matt, fully."

"I trust you baby." He pulled invisible lint on her shirt. "I guess that deep down, I have this fear that I'm never good enough for you and that you deserve so much more."

"I don't ever want you to think that." She dipped her head and gently pressed her lips to his. "You made me love again and you gave us this beautiful home that we share with our beautiful kids. I say that because Emma and Grace are as much mine now as my own kids and I know you consider Luis, Filippe and Valentina as if they were your own and all I want now is be married to you, so all of this is official. I want to be Gabriella Casey and I don't want to wait anymore."

"That would make me the happiest man on earth." Her words had lifted a weight off of his shoulders.

"Than what do you say Matthew Casey? Will you marry me? Not later but now?"

"You really want that?"

"More than anything."

"Than yes, yes I'll marry you." He flipped them around and settled his weight against her, their lips locking in a pationate kiss. They spent the rest of their evening, lying against each other on the couch, the two finally falling asleep, their fight behind them and their future looking up.

* * *

 **A/n: So Here it is, I hope you guys enjoyed it. Please take a few seconds to leave a review before you go, your thoughts are always apreciated - Sarra**


	70. Wedding planning

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and the kids names.**

 **A/n: First of all thanks to everyone who left a review on the previous chapter and I want to also thank those who left reviews recently asking for an update. I've been struggling to write recently not because of lack of inspiration but by utter lack of time. Work is crazy (plus I'm soon going to start a new position too) and with the end of the school year that is nearing for my kids, that's crazy too. Here's what I hope will make up for that.**

* * *

Matt shifted his weight and felt warm hands sneaking against his abs. He blinked a few times, finally realizing that he was on the couch, Gabby snuggled against him, her fingers tracing his body.

"Morning." She mumbled in his shirt.

"Good morning." He finished shifting his weight so he was now facing her. "I had this dream last night that the girl I love asked me to marry her." He dipped down and captured her lips in his.

"I hope you said yes."

"I can't wait to be your husband." He ran his hand under her shirt and along her lower back, kissing her again.

"DADDDDDD." He leaned his forehead against hers.

"We really need to start sleeping in our bed." He growled, making her laugh.

"Dad I'm hungry." Grace whined, pushing against his shoulder.

"I'll be right there." She scampered off, satisfied with her father's answer.

"This will be our everyday madness if you marry me."

"I'm more than ready for that." He leaned down and kissed her again.

"DADDDDDDD." Grace yelled again, making Gabby laugh.

"Come on dad, kids are calling." She kissed him.

"We are picking this up later." He promised, pushing himself in a sitting position and then heading into the kitchen. Gabby watched him walk away and smiled at herself; she could definitely spend the rest of her life like this with Matt and their five kids.

She walked into the kitchen and watched him making pancakes. All five kids were sitting around the table while he made a small stack for them. He put the plate on the table and dropped a kiss on top of Valentina's head, making her heart swell a million times over.

"Are there enough for me?" She took a bite out of his plate as he sat down.

"There's plenty for my girl." He smiled up at her.

"Good because I'm starving." She took a seat next to him and they ate as a family.

"Why are you still dressed in yesterday's clothes mom?" Luis asked as she put another forkful in her mouth.

"We fell asleep on the couch." Matt came to her aid.

"I found them kissinggg." Sang Grace.

"That's enough Grace." Gabby said sternly, her mouth now empty. They had nothing against being caught during some little PDA in front of the kids but they weren't aloud to be disrespectful towards either one of them.

"Sorry." She looked sheepishly down at her plate.

"On another note." Matt took Gabby's hand in his and all the kids gave him their fully attention. She smiled and nodded for him to continue. "Gabby and I talked last night and we decided that we didn't want to wait to get married." Neither one of them knew how the kids would react to this sudden change in their plans.

"Can we be the flower girls?" The girls asked in unison while Valentina clapped happily on her chair.

"Don't get too excited, we haven't made any plans yet." Matt warned them.

"But can we?" They asked hopefully.

"Sure." Gabby smiled at them.

"Does that mean we get to wear suits?" Filippe wondered from the sink where he was rinsing his plate out.

"Absolutely. Plus I'll need some help to pick something else too." He winked at Gabby. Beyond wanting to get married soon, they hadn't talked about much but he knew they'd have to shop for rings and he wanted the kids to help him pick them out.

"What what?" Luis proded even if he knew it was futile.

"That's a surprise." The kids suddenly became animated, throwing wedding ideas around while Matt and Gabby finished eating, both a smile on their faces. They were glad that the kids were all happy with their decision to move forward. Shay, Kelly and Christie were supposed to come spend the day with them, making BBQ for lunch while the kids would have fun in the yard. After breakfast was over, it took everything for the kids to get dressed, all of them wanting to lazy the day away but it was supposed to be a beautiful day and Matt refused to let them waste it away Inside.

Shay was the first to set foot through the door with a bag full of nail polish in various summer colours to paint the girls nails, letting them spend some quality time with her. Valentina had grown quite close to her as well since Gabby had moved in and she'd often take her along with the twins when they did girly stuff, Matt always grateful for her.

Matt was taking things out of the fridge when Kelly and Christie arrived. Christie kissed him on the cheek and Matt noticed right away that someone was missing. "Hey, where's Violet?"

"In her words? She's way too old to be hanging out with her mom." Matt looked at Kelly who only chuckled.

"She's at that phase huh?" Christie only nodded. "That's too bad because we were hoping to share some great news with her."

"Great news?" Kelly inquired as Gabby and Shay walked into the house, not missing the look shared between the two. "Don't leave us hanging, what's the great news?" He looked at them as Gabby wrapped her arm around Matt's waist.

"We decided to get married." Gabby's smirk was contagious, Matt sporting the same grin on his face.

"We already know that." Kelly was now a bit confused.

"We decided that we didn't want to wait."

"Did you guys pick a date?"

"Actually we decided that last night." Gabby said sheepishly. "So we haven't really talked about any kind of détails."

"That's perfect because that'll mean girls nights to plan it and go shopping." Shay pualled on Gabby's hand, dragging her away, Christie following behind as they went on the deck outside.

"That's great news, Violet will be stoked."

"What about you? Are you going to pop the question anytime soon?"

"Woah, no." Kelly suddenly backpedalled when he saw Matt's face change. "I just don't think that we're ready for that yet. I certainly wouldn't push her if she isn't." He looked outside through the window at his girl who was laughing with Gabby and Shay. "We're just in a really good place right now, I don't want to screw that up."

"I'm glad you guys are happy and you're great for her so I won't complain."

"Thanks man. So married huh? Do you have any idea what kind of wedding you want?" Kelly helped him grab all the things to take them outside.

"I don't know but whatever she wants is fine with me." He winked at her from afar as she smiled at him. "But I do need a best man though."

"I'm your man." He pulled him into a hug. "I'd be honoured." With that out of the way, they started making lunch while the girls took care of plates and refreshments.

They spent the whole afternoon outside, the kids playing football with both Matt and Kelly while the girls kept talking about wedding planning. They left close to dinner time and Gabby made some quick pasta for everyone and tub time followed so the two adults could have some time alone. They quickly fell asleep from having played outside all day so Matt poured Gabby a glass of wine and he took a beer and they setlled outside to enjoy the beautiful night.

"Today was fun." She snuggled into his side.

"Too bad Violet wasn't here."

"You can always do something with her alone and tell her then."

"That's a good idea. So." He started. "We've talked about the wedding all day but we haven't really talked about it."

"What do you want?" She took a small sip of her wine and looked up to him with a smile.

"Whatever you want." He ran his fingers through her hair. "So Gabriella Dawson, what kind of wedding do you want us to have?"

"I want something simple, intimate. Why don't we get married here?"

"Here?" He pulled away a bit and looked at her.

"Yeah. The yard is big enough for a ceremony and the party. Plus we wouldn't have to worry about the kids and having to bring them back home when they fall asleep from exhaustion. Plus this place looks amazing in the evening when all the lights are on." The lights hanging from the tree house and the fairy lights over the patio made it look even more romantic.

"If that's really what you want." They were now almost facing each other and Matt pushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I just want to become your wife and start yet another chapter of our lives."

"Ok." He smiled at her, her energy contagious. "So I could ask Chaplain Orlovsky to officiate. I'm sure he wouldn't mind."

"That would be perfect babe. And the girls could be the flower girls. The boys we'd need to figure something out but I'm sure we'll find something."

"Maybe the ring bearers."

"That could work. Oh and I need a maid of honour and you need to pick a best man."

"I'm ahead of you on this one. I asked Severide this morning."

"That's great babe. I have no idea who to pick. How do I even chose?"

"Use your heart and whoever you pick will be perfect." He leaned down to kiss her.

"I swear I got lucky with you." She put her glass down on the table in front of them and straddled him.

"I'm the lucky one." He assured her as he cupped his cheek. "And what about a date? We need to pick that."

"A date. Yeah, that's pretty important too." She leaned down and kissed him. Gently at first but she ran her tongue against his lips as her hands made their way under his shirt. A moan rumbled low in his throat as she pushed her tongue past his lips and pushed her pelvis against him. "What about early, mid September?" She kissed him again, slowly, torturously.

"Mid September." He echoed, his thoughts a jumble from her ministrations.

"The weather is still really nice." She trailed kisses down his jawline and his neck. "And the school year will have just started so it won't be crazy for the kids." She bit down gently against his neck, a moan finally escaping his lips.

"And you'll be rested from your days off in the first week of September." He placed his hands on her hips as she bit down again, this time a bit harder. "And I'll be able to ravish your body for hours once we are husband and wife." He pushed her pelvis lower onto him, enjoying the feel of her against his tightening lower body as she kissed him again, this time harder.

"Sounds like we have half a plan." She mumbled against his lips.

"Enough with the planning." Matt had enough of their mutual teasing, now he wanted to enjoy her in the confines of their own room.

"Enough." She echoed, her thoughts now a blissful jumble too. They locked lips as Matt stood, bringing Gabby with him without breaking contact and he easily brought the two of them up to their room with Gabby's legs wrapped around his waist. He gently set her down against the sheets and trailed kisses down her neck, placing feather light kisses down to the valley of her breasts. Her scent was intoxicating and he wanted to lose himself in her and that's exactly what he did. He explored her body as if it was their first time, finding new ways to excite her and they made love for hours until they fell asleep, exhausted and happy.

* * *

 **a/n: So finally Matt and Gabby are in a happy place again and they've made somewhat clear wedding plans. Next couple of chapters will be centred around that so keep a look out for those. As always, please take a few seconds to review before you go, it's really appreciated. - Sarra**


	71. I do

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and the kids names.**

 **a/n: Thank you to everyone for the reviews on the last chapter. Now as a lot of you know, I started a new position at work this week. It has been exciting and tiring, turning my brain into a puddle, which is one of the reasons this update has taken so long to write. I hope you enjoy this longer chapter to make up for the wait.**

* * *

Gabby blinked slowly as birds could be heard chirping. She ran her hand against the sheets only to find Matt's spot empty, bringing a smile to her face. Waking up alone was never something she enjoyed but today was special. Christie had taken all five kids for the night so she could rest properly and Matt had slept at Kelly and Christie's place, the two wanting to keep some tradition for their big day. She swung her legs out of the bed slowly and wrapper her robe around her body, making her way towards the kitchen, her stomach showing signs of hunger.

A sweet smell was emanating from the kitchen but Gabby frowed and slowed her pace, wondering who could be here so early. She leaned against the doorframe after quietly tiptoing in the room and smile formed on her lips.

"You're lucky it smells so good in here because I was tempted to call the cops." Nathalie turned to her and chuckled.

"And you're lucky we didn't call the cops on you last night." Gabby turned at the sound of Shay's voice, finding her there with Laura, a bottle of mimosa in her hands." Gabby simply turned red at that statement, remembering the night before.

 _The kids had already left to spend the night with Matt and Kelly, leaving Gabby alone for some quiet time. She wanted nothing more than to slip in a warm bubble bath with scented candles and a glass of wine to enjoy a night without any interruptions. She was sipping her glass slowly, waiting for the water to fill the tub when the doorbell rang. She looked at the small clock that was sitting on the shelf next to her products and she frowned. "Who could that be so late?" It was already nine so she pulled her robe tightly around her body and went down the stairs, still wondering who could be there at that time. She looked through the peephole and cursed under her breath. "What are you girls doing here?" She opened the door to find Shay, Laura, Nathalie, Sylvie, April and Maggie standing there with smirks on their faces and bottles of wine in hand._

 _"Did you really think that we would let you get married tomorrow and not have a bachelorette party?" Shay had clearly already started drinking and she was in the mood to party._

 _"I thought I was going to spend a quiet night with candles, a hot bath and wine." She finally chuckled._

 _"So go get dressed and we are going to have a little bit of fun tonight." Nathalie spun her around and pushed her back towards the stairs as the girls all came in and got ready for the party._

 _Gabby came back sporting some clack leather pants and a blue strapless top and a glass of wine was thrust in her hand and Laura pulled her to her side._

 _"My dear sister-in-law." She started, Gabby's eyes already watering. "I've known you for a long time now and I've seen you grow and become and increadible woman and mom but life hasn't always been easy. It delt you a very hard blow but I've seen you stay strong through it all and you've found love again with this amazing man and I cannot wait to witness you say I do to him tomorrow. To Gabby and Matt." She raised her glass as she pressed her lips to Gabby's temple. "I love you." She whispered in her ear._

 _"I love you too." She whispered back._

 _"To Matt and Gabby." The other girls cheered too and they started drinking a glass after the other, April putting some background music for them. About an hour or two later, the doorbell rang again._

 _"What is up with people tonight?" Gabby slurred, a high level of alcohol already in her body. They were having fun dancing and drinking in her living room and she didn't appreciate the interruption during girl's night. "Why hellooo." She looked at the man that was standing in front of her, dressed in a firefighter's gear._

 _"WHO'S AT THE DOOR?" She could hear from behind her._

 _"Did someone call the fire department?" She smiled at the man before returning to the living room, the man following her closely behind._

"Matt Casey is the only firefighter I need in my life." Her blush creeped down to her neck.

"That's not how you acted like last night." Shay and Nathalie laughed as Shay poured them a glass of mimosa while Nathalie put the food on the table.

"Well after today, last night won't ever matter." She sat down and took a sip of the bubbly drink. She looked at her ring and then outside where the sun shone and she was content, happy to finally getting to be married to Matt by the end of the night.

On the other side of town, Matt woke up with a stiff back. His dead was pounding lightly and his eyes strained under the sunlight that filtered through the living room windows. He pushed the blanket that had been thrown over him aside and swung his legs to the side, the pounding intensifying slightly. He ran a hand through his hair and stood, making his way to the kitchen where he found Severide at the kitchen table reading the paper with a cup of coffee in hand.

"Morning sunshine." Kelly smirked.

"Sunshine hurts my eyes." Matt grumbled, sitting across from him. Kelly simply pushed a steaming cup in front of his friend. "How many drinks did we have last night?" He wondered out loud as he welcomed the hot liquid down his throat.

"You, a few too many. I had to take you home in one piece." Suddenly last night came back to him.

 _They were sitting in the living room watching a game on tv and sipping a beer. "So tomorrow's the big day huh? How're you feeling?"_

 _"I'm happy." There was no doubt from the look on his face that he was looking forward to it. "I've waited a long time for this."_

 _"Than you guys should go out and celebrate." They both turned to see Christie standing against the wall._

 _"And leave you with all five kids plus Violet?" Kelly asked. "No way babe."_

 _"The kids are all already sleeping." She smiled at him. "And my little brother won't get married more than once. You guys should go have some fun."_

 _"Are you sure?" He stood up and walked towards her, pulling her to him._

 _"Positive. I'll see you guys in the morning." She kissed him before he faced Matt._

 _"Come on Case. Grab your jacket and we're out of here." The truth was that the guys were waiting for them at Molly's for a bachelor party for Matt and he had only watched the game to stall until he knew everything was ready. They took Kelly's car because he was going to get Matt drunk for his last night of freedom. When they made it to Molly's, they could hear the loud music from the outside._

 _"Come on Kelly. I said no strippers." They pushed the door opened to be surprised by the boys from 51 and some close friends of their's._

 _"You didn't say anything about sexy waitresses." Kelly smirked as he pushed Matt farther in the bar._

"Good idea. Where's everyone?" He was surprised that there wasn't a tornado of kids around them.

"Asleep." He took another sip of his coffee. "Valentina woke up a few times from nightmares. Christie was rocking her back to sleep when we came back."

"Ah damn. We should have been here for this."

"It's fine Matt." Christie patted him on the shoulder. "How's the head?" She put some ibuprofen in front of him.

"Thanks sis." He took the pills and swallowed them down with a large sip of coffee.

"Are you ready?" She kissed Kelly and started making breakfast.

"Never been more ready for anything in my intire life."

"Good. So let's feed you and get you washed up for your big day." It didn't take very long for Christie to whip up a huge breakfast with Kelly's help. They sat down to eat when all the kids came barreling down the stairs, Matt being swarmed by all of them.

"Lower your voices kids, dad has a head ache." Kelly smirked as he filled Matt's cup again.

"Are you kids ready?" Matt asked. This was also a huge day for all five of them.

"Auntie Christie laid out all of our clothes for us last night." Grace said with her mouth half full.

"And she said that we'd get ready after lunch. Are we going to see mom after?" Luis asked.

"As soon as we're all ready we'll be driving back home and mom will be waiting for you guys."

"You're not going to be there?" Filippe wondered.

"I'll be coming in a different car with Kelly. I can't see your mom before she walks down the isle."

"Why not?" Emma was next to ask.

"Because it's a tradition and we decided it would be fun if we followed a few of them." It was his turn to put some food in his mouth, hoping that what was left of the throbbing in his head would disappear. They finished eating under the kids excitement for the day and they were all happy to be able to stay up later than usual for the occasion. Christie shooed Matt away from the kitchen when he tried to help clear the dishes and sent him upstairs for a much needed nap and a shower before having to get ready later.

The girls had fun during breakfast and laughed at stories Shay was very willing to share with them about Matt throughout the years. Shay handed her a glass of regular orange juice as Gabby looked outside, leaning against the patio door. "Go enjoy some quiet time while you can." She whispered in her ear before she left her alone with her thoughts. She wrapped her vest around her body and took a seat on the porch, looking at the beautiful wedding setting that her friends had made for them. Her mind graced her with memories of the past years since meeting Matt and she couldn't help but smile at how her life had changed and how it would be changed forever after today.

Inside, the girls kept an eye on Gabby to make sure that she didn't come back inside while they were plotting a surprise for her and Matt. "So, is everything ready for tonight?" Laura whispered.

"Christie texted me saying everything was ready and that she'll bring the e-tickets here when they come." Shay answered.

"And we're supposed to do their luggage how?" Nathalie wondered under her breath.

"Keep her distracted and I'll take care of it." Shay smirked, heading upstairs quiet as a mouse so she could try putting bags together for her friends. She was surprised that no disruption came as she packed Gabby's bag, fitting sexy lingerie, bathing suits and a few sun dresses. Matt was a bit harder to pack because she had no real idea where his summer things were but after opening a few drawers, she found exactly what she was looking for. She simply grabbed his duffle bag and stuffed everything in there. She managed to stach everything just when Gabby came walking in, Nathalie and Laura sporting appologetic looks on their faces.

"What are you doing Shay?"

"I came up to make sure you had everything you needed for the ceremony."

"Thanks Shay. After last night, I'm sure I would have forgotten something. And I never thanked you guys for the back yard, it's gorgeous."

"Matt did most of the work with the alter." Laura assured her.

"That may be but the flowers are the lights look amazing. I couldn't ask for better friends." Gabby pulled them into a group hug as her eyes filled with tears.

"Ok, enough with this emotional crap." Nathalie pulled away and wiped her eyes, smiling at Gabby. "How about you run that hot bath you were hoping for yesterday and we'll get a light lunch going before we get you ready for tonight."

"Thanks girls." Gabby gathered a few of her things before heading into their en-suite, finally running that hot water tub and lighting those scented candles. The girls waited a few minutes to make sure that Gabby wouldn't re-emmerge yet and took both her bag and Matt's to go hide it somewhere else in the house.

Laura left no longer after to make her way to the bakery to make sure that everything was going as planned with the food and the cake that she had insisted on making, leaving both Nathalie and Shay to put the finishing touched on the yard and making sure that Gabby was ready by four, when everyone else would be here and waiting for her.

The kids had taken a short nap post lunch to make sure that they'd be able to last through the reception so it left Matt some alone time. He wrestled with the idea of calling Gabby and finally caved about twenty minutes later. He let it ring a few times and she finally picked up. "Hey baby." **I missed you this morning.** She said in the receiver. "I missed you too. Did you have fun last night?" He smirked, knowing what was planned for her the night before. **I might have had a little too much to drink.** She didn't want to give him too many details. **What about you? How was Molly's?** She asked, knowing too what Kelly had planned for him. "So you knew?" **Of course I knew, I helped Kelly plan it.** He could hear the soft giggle from her end and it was like music to his ears. "How did you sleep?" **Blissfully well.** "I won't ask what role alcohol played in that." He laughed. "So, are you ready?" **Very ready. Now I'm just soaking in a hot tub, with bubbled everywhere around me and those vanilla scented candles I love.** "Gabby." Matt moaned, feeling his pants tighten around him. "You can't say these things right now, it's not fair." **Well if you play your card right tonight, I might just ave a little surprise under my wedding dress.** "Come on baby, stop it." His mind was giving him all sorts of images of Gabby wearing next to nothing, her wedding dress pooling at her feet. "I need to take a cold shower now." **And I need to start getting ready soon if I don't want to be late for my own wedding.** "I can't wait to see you walk down that isle towards me." **And I can't wait to say I do to you.** She whispered in the phone this time. It was the small things that Matt loved about Gabby. Just having a fun conversation with some banter was calming his nerves and only strengthening his love for her and the fact that he was making the best decision of his life. "I love you baby." **I love you too Matt Casey.** The both of them started silent for a few seconds before hanging up.

"It's time man." Kelly poked his head through the door and Matt simply nodded and gave him a smile.

"Thanks Kel." Kelly nodded and closed the door behind him, giving his friend the time he needed to get ready. He took a quick shower to calm his body that was still reacting to his earlier conversation with Gabby and when he came out of the bathroom and back into Violet's room where he was getting ready, his suit was waiting for him. He and Gabby had talked about it and although she loved Matt in his dress blues, she loved it when he wore a suit and tie so he opted for a three piece suit. He was just finishing up buttoning his inside vest that his mind took him to another important day not so long ago.

 _Matt and Gabby had pretty much everything planned but they were missing one key ingredient to get married, a minister. They knew that they were cutting it close but not having to worry about a venue had made it easier on them but finding a minister on short notice had proven difficult. Matt stood in front of the CFD and took a deep breath, hoping for a positive outcome. He nodded to the girl at the front desk as he went, walking up the stairs to the next floor, knowing exactly where he was going. The door was closed but Matt took a chance and knocked anyways._

 _"Matt Casey!" Chaplain Orlovsky stood, smiling, shaking Matt's hand. "What can I do for you?"_

 _"I know I'm cutting it close Chaplain but I need a favour."_

 _"Name it." It wasn't a secret that Matt and the Chaplain had a long history together. After losing Darden and then Haley, he had been a great help in keeping his sanity, managing on both counts to bring him back to the present and the CFD, both times the thought of ending his career had weighed heavy on him._

 _"I'm getting married." Matt smiled at him._

 _"So I've heard." The Chaplain smiled back at him. "And you don't have to say another word, I'll do it."_

 _"How did you know what I was going to ask you?" Matt took half a step back._

 _"You forget that I know you Matt. And it would be my pleasure to marry you to Gabriella Dawson."_

Matt smiled at the memory as he slipped his suit jacket on. Things had finally fallen into place and in a few hours, Gabby would be his wife.

Gabby slipped out of the tub and wrapped a towel around her body, heading back into her and Matt's room where Nathalie was waiting for her.

"Are you ready?"

"As I'll ever be." She smiled back at her friend and boss.

"Let's get you dressed." Nathalie handed her the bag her dress was kept in for safety and pushed back towards the bathroom to get changed. "Everything you need is in there."

"Thanks." Gabby took the bag with her and went into the bathroom where she hung the bag on the back on the door. First she put her lingerie and hid her body with a robe before she went back to her room where Nathalie was waiting for her, this time to make her hair.

"Are we still going with the picture you shower me last time?" She turned Gabby so she would face the mirror.

"Yes." Nathalie brushed Gabby's hair in a soft, low bun. For her wedding to Alberto, it had been a big affaire, Gabby wearing a dress fit for a princess and there were so many guests, some that she didn't even knew that had been invited but both she and Matt had agreed for a simple ceremony, one that would reflect who they were. They had invited their immediate family along with Matt's firehouse family and a few of Gabby's friends from the hospital. "Thank you again Nathalie for everything."

"And thank you for letting me be a huge part of your wedding." They smiled at each other through the mirror, both thinking about the same moment, a few weeks back.

 _Gabby was pacing the living room while Matt watched a movie on tv. "What's got you pacing like that babe?" Matt asked as he stood, making his way to her._

 _"I still don't know who to pick to be my maid of honour."_

 _"I thought you had chosen already." He stood in front of her and held her arms in his hands._

 _"I can't make up my mind Matt." She sighed, frustration getting the better of her._

 _"Who did you have in mind?" He thought that if they talked it out together it might help her make a decision._

 _"There's Laura but she was my maid of honour when I married Alberto. Then there's Shay but I haven't known her all that long so I don't know if she would be comfortable taking on that role." Matt pulled her gently towards the couch and sat down, pulling her down on his lap, placing his arms around her waist._

 _"Well I'm sure that Shay would be honoured but if you don't feel comfortable asking her, than maybe she's not your perfect choice." He placed a strand of hair behind her ear. "Can I suggest someone?" Gabby simply nodded. At this point, any suggestion that could make her make a decision he would take it. "What about Nathalie?" The though had actually never crossed her mind yet._

 _"Why didn't I think of her before?" She tried to stand back up but Matt stopped her from doing so by tightening his arms around her waist._

 _"Because you are stressed and you have five kids running around you every day and there's a lot of things on your mind."_

 _"I'm sorry." She pushed her face into his shirt, sighing._

 _"Hey, hey." He took her face in his hands and made her look at him. "Don't be sorry. A lot is going on right now. It's normal that it's taking a lot out of you." She took a deep breath and smiled at him._

 _"Thanks babe." She leaned her forehead against his and then pressed her lips to his._

 _"Anytime." He kissed her back. "Now how about we get you in bed for a good night and tomorrow you can ask Nathalie."_

 _"Yeah, sleep will help me focus more." They wrapped themselves in each other and quickly fell asleep. Gabby was already gone when Matt woke up but he simply smiled, knowing Gabby would want to get Nathalie before the chaos started._

 _Gabby parked her car and suddenly became nervous. She went up the stairs and the nurses station was empty but that wasn't anything strange about that because it was the morning rounds but she knew that Nathalie would be in her office. She set her things down under the counter and headed that way. The door was left ajar and Gabby took a deep breath before raising her hand to knock but she was beat to it._

 _"Come in Gabby." Gabby simply pushed the door open a bit more and slipped inside, choosing not to sit down._

 _"I." She started, not really sure how to ask her question. She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "I've had a lot of trouble figuring something out lately and time is starting to slip away and until last night I couldn't make up my mind about it."_

 _"Gabby, what is it? You're starting to freak me out a bit." Nathalie wasn't used to seeing an unsure Gabby._

 _"Would you be my maid of honour for my wedding?" She finally blurted out._

 _"Gabby." Nathalie suddenly stood, a smirk across her lips. "I'd be honoured." She pulled her in her arms. "But why me? What about Shay?"_

 _"Matt was the one who suggested it and it got me thinking." Nathalie was now holding her at arms length. "You have been by my side from day one and through all of the fights and the make-ups that I've had with Matt and you've been protecting my heart through all of it and I couldn't ask for more."_

 _"You're going to make me cry." Both women had tears in their eyes as they embraced, Gabby now laughing with a lightness in her heart._

They suddenly fell into a light laugher as Nathalie put the finishing touched to Gabby's hair. "Let's do your make-up, it's almost time." She turned her so they were facing. Gabby wanted something natural so Nathalie used her golden palette and worked her magic before they both admired her handiwork. "Time for you to get you in your dress." Gabby turned to look at her reflection one last time before she retreated into the bathroom one last time. When Gabby came out, Nathalie was no longer alone.

"Oh my God Gabby." Shay exclaimed. "You look beautiful.

"Thanks." She blushed. Gabby looked at the door as it opened and her mother poked her head in before letting herself in.

"You look absolutely breathtaking honey." She took her hands in hers. Gabby was wearing a simple white dress but what wasn't simple was the body of lace that was over it. It covered her shoulder and chest and flowed to the ground and a jewelled belt centering her waist. You couldn't see much of the shoes but Gabby had picked a simple peep toe heel to match the dress.

"Thank you mom." Their smile was the same and the girls watched mother and daughter have their little moment.

"Now." She looked at the girls before looking back at Gabby again. "You're missing a few things. Nathalie?" Nathalie handed Esmeralda a square box. "This belonged to your Abuela." She opened the box to reveal a silver hair pin. "She wore it to her wedding and she wanted it to be passed down to the women in the family on their own wedding day."

"Mamma." Gabby's eyes filled with tears. She had seen it before but her mother hadn't been able to get it for her marriage to Alberto but this something old was a perfect thing for a new beginning. "Thank you." Her mother pinned it in her hair and kissed her on the cheek.

"Now for your something blue." Shay giggled, pulling another item from a small box, this time making Gabby blush. It was a royal blue garter and Shay stretched it with both her index fingers, making everyone laugh.

"Thank you Leslie Shay." She pulled her one of her best friends for a hug.

"And this is your something new." Laura gave Gabby the box and Nathalie pulled her to her side.

"They're beautiful." It was small chandelier earrings and a matching bracelet.

"We knew you hadn't picked jewellery so we couldn't resist."

"Thank you, all of you." The girls hugged her and her mom held her hand from the side.

A knock on the door interrupted them. Esmeralda went to answer and had to look down to see who it was.

"These are for you mom." Luis gave her a beautiful bouquet of pink roses.

"Luis baby, you look so handsome in your suit." She set the vase down on her desk and looked at her boys. They were wearing dark grey suits, matching Matt's.

"And you look beautiful in your dress mamma." Filippe smiled at her.

"Thank you." She smiled at him. "You all look so good." The girls were wearing the same dress but Emma and Grace in a soft yellow and Valentina in a cream coloured dress, a stark contrast with her dark skin.

There was another knock on the door but no one came in and Esmeralda smiled at her daughter. "It's time."

"Ok." Gabby smiled at her mom. "Just give me a minute and I'll be right out." Shay and Nathalie nodded before they ushered the kids out and then her mom left, kissing her one last time before giving her a few minutes alone. She turned and looked at the flowers. She knew they were from Matt but she wanted to read what he had written to her on the card.

 _To my beautiful bride, and to the rest of our lives._

 _Love_

 _Matt._

She pressed the small card against her heart and smiled before making her way out and downstairs to her waiting father.

Matt arrived with Kelly and Violet, Christie haven taken the kids with her a bit earlier to see Gabby. They walked into the yard where all their friends were waiting for them, Chaplain Orlovsky already at the top of the alter. Matt said some hellos on his way to join him, Kelly and Antonio at his side.

"Ready to join this crazy family?" Antonio clapped him on the shoulder, pulling Matt in for a hug.

"More than ever." Matt smiled at Antonio once he released him.

"I know the road here hasn't been easy but if two people can make it all the way to forever, it's the two of you." Matt nodded and smiled at his best friend before pulling him in for a hug.

"Thank you for everything Kelly. You're the best best friend a guy can ask for." They pulled away just in time for the music to start. The boys walked up first, followed by Valentina and the twins as the flower girl and finally, their eyes met. Matt's smile reached his eyes as blue met brown, Gabby blushing lightly from the beginning of the isle, her father by her side. In those few quiet seconds, there was no one else in the world but the two of them.

Matt couldn't keep his eyes of her as she walked up with her father. She was a vision in her dress, the white lace adding her something extra special, making her look like an angel, his angel. Before he knew it, she was next to him. Edouardo shook his hand and pulled him in for a hug.

"Take good care of my daughter."

"I will, I promise." Edouardo pulled away and nodded before pulling Gabby in for a hug too.

"You've found a wonderful man Gabriella."

"I love you daddy." He kissed her cheek and she smiled at him before he answered.

"I love you too my darling." He kissed her cheek one more time before he put her hands in Matt's, taking his seat next to Esmeralda in the front row.

"We are gathered here today to marry Matthew Casey and Gabriella Dawson." Chaplain Orlovsky started. He looked as Matt and Gabby exchanged a loving look before he continued. "Life has a unique way to bring people together that are destined to be together like Matt and Gabby and their journey is what has brought us here today. We have all witnessed their special bond and will continue to do so as they soon become husband and wife." A loud whistle could be heard from somewhere in the yard, making everyone laugh, knowing it was Cruz. "Matt and Gabby chose to write their own vows to show their love for each other."

"Gabby." She winked at him, her smile lighting the whole room up. "When I first met you, I had just started letting myself believe I could open my heart again to someone. The girls were the only world that made sense until you came along. You showed me how to love again and you made me trust someone with my whole world and you have done nothing but amaze me since. You are an incredible partner and an amazing mother to all five of our children and we've become the team that I've always envisioned. To a lifetime of friendship, love and trust.

"I love you." She mouthed.

"I love you too." He mouthed back, a smile on his lips.

"Matt. When I came back home, I was lost. I had lost the one thing that made sense in my world and my kids had become the center of my universe. And then, this amazing thing happened. I bumped into a perfect stranger in a run to catch up with my kids and my journey since has taken turns I hadn't seen coming. You made me find love again and given me a reason to believe in love again. You've always said that you aren't replacing Alberto in mine and the kids life. I have the honour to be loved by two incredible men and I'm marrying you today."

"Matt, do you promise to stay by Gabby's side, in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, as well as through the good times and the bad? Will you promise to love her without reservation, comfort her in times of distress, encourage her to achieve all of her goals, laugh with her and cry with her, grow with you in mind and spirit. Always be open and honest with her and cherish her for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do." He smiled, slipping the diamond wedding band on her finger.

"Gabby, do you promise to stay by Matt's side, in sickness and in health, in joy and in sorrow, as well as through the good times and the bad? Will you promise to love him without reservation, comfort him in times of distress, encourage him to achieve all of his goals, laugh with him and cry with him, grow with her in mind and spirit? Always be open and honest with him and cherish him for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do." She slid the cool metal of Matt's wedding band on his finger.

"By the power of your love and commitment, and the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife! You may kiss each your bride!" Matt gently pulled Gabby to him, his hands gently around her waist and pressed his lips to hers, sealing their destiny for the rest of their lives.

Everybody clapped and whistled while they kissed, everyone happy to be there to witness their love for one another. "I now present you, Matt and Gabby Casey". Kelly yelled as both Matt and Gabby were swarmed by all five of their kids. Matt lifted Valentina in his arms and planted a sweet kiss on her cheek.

"Are you kids having fun?"

"Can we go to bed really late tonight and dance with you guys?"

"Absolutely." Gabby smiled at Matt.

"Speaking of dancing." Matt smiled back at her. "Will you do me the honour of this first dance Mrs Casey?"

"I would love to." Shay took Valentina from Matt's arms and he took Gabby's hand in his and took her to what was meant to be the dance floor. He pulled her close to him as the song H.O.L.Y. from Florida Georgia Line started playing. "How does it feel? She asked him with a smile.

"I never thought my heart could be so full. You just made me the luckiest man on the face of this planet."

"Not as lucky as I am." She leaned her head against his chest as they danced, enjoying the beating of his heart. Everyone started clapping as they kissed once the song was done.

"Now that you've danced a bit, we have a surprise for you." Kelly took the mic, Christie by his side. "Now I know that you guys didn't plan a honeymoon because you have a small army to take care so we decided that we'd take care of that for you." Gabby's hands flew to her mouth. She couldn't believe that their friends would do something for them like that. "So, as your best man, and with the help of your maid of honour Nathalie, we thought that you could escape to a little piece of paradise in Hawaii for the next week."

"We can't accept that Kelly."

"You don't have a choice buddy because your flight leaved in a few hours." Kelly bulled the two tickets out of his jacket pocket.

"We won't have time to get out things ready." Gabby giggled, clearly not able to believe what their friends had done.

"It's a good thing their already packed." Shay wiggled her eyebrows.

"You'd better hurry up if you want to make it on time." Nathalie came to hug Gabby and then Matt. Everyone else came to congratulate them before they went inside together to change into something more casual. When they came back to the yard, everyone was dancing. Kelly and Christie pulled away from the group and came to meet them.

"I want you two to enjoy yourselves over there and leave the kids to us, we'll take good care of them." Christie told them, knowing the kids would be Gabby's first priority."

"Thank you for everything." Gabby took Christie in her arms for a hug.

"Yeah thank you." Matt kissed her cheek too.

"Now get out of here before you miss your flight." Kelly was practically pushing them out the door. Matt held the door to Gabby's car open for her and waited for her to settle herself in before closing the door behind her and taking the wheel, driving them to the airport and a week in paradise.

* * *

 **a/n: So Matt and Gabby are finally married. I put the URL for the pic of Gabby's dress in my profile but it's white instead of the cream colour in the picture.I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter and please take a few seconds to review before you leave. - Sarra**


	72. Love in paradise pt 1

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination and the kids names.**

 **A/N: I want to thank everyone who left a review on the previous chapter. I also want to thank everyone for their HUGE amount of patience with me for not posting in what seems FOREVER. Life is so busy that I've barely had time to even sit down and write so I hope this chapter will live up to that wait. Enjoy.**

* * *

Matt drove towards O'Hare, Gabby snuggled in his side. Gabby looked at the tickets to get some info as to where they were going.

"I can't believe that we are going to Kauai."

"Leave it to fifty one to plan this kind of surprise." He kissed her temple, his arm pulling her closer to him, the other one firmly holding the Wheel.

"I don't remember the last time I've been able to get away, seems like an eternity." She sighed.

"Neither can I but we get to spend a whole week in paradise, just you and me, no outside world to bother us."

"What do you think Shay packed in our suitcases?" She looked quizically at the two bags in the back on Matt's truck.

"Knowing Shay the way I do, probably not much of anything." Gabby took a sharp intake of breath as her mind gave her images of the two of them confined in their little vacation spot with nothing more than a few sheets, her cheeks turning red.

"Keep that thought." Matt knew exactly what was going through her mind and he couldn't wait to be able to ravish her, the two overdue for some time alone. They drove the rest of the way in comfortable silence. They made it to their gate with a little time to spare but were quickly called for boarding, now only moments away from taking off.

"I wonder how the kids are going." She put her head against Matt's shoulder.

"Don't worry your head about that babe, they're in good hands with my sister and Severide. "Let's just enjoy the two of us alone, on an island for a whole week."

"Oh I will Mr Casey." She smirked, hiding her face in his shoulder. After the usual messages, the plane took off, bring them to paradise. Gabby leaned into Matt as soon as the plane was in the air.

"What's going on in that head of yours Mrs. Casey?" He kissed her temple.

"You know, I like how that sounds." She sighed contently. "I can't wait to spend some quiet time with you, no kids. Does that make me a bad mom?"

"Absolutely not. You are an amazing mom and our kids are lucky to have you. We don't take enough time for ourselves so now's the time to do that. Let Kelly and Christie worry about the kids for seven whole days."

"Ok." She finally relaxed into his side and they enjoyed the flight, their fingers tangled together, Gabby's head resting comfortably on Matt's shoulder.

Their plane landed and they made their way through the airport, hand in hand until they saw a man that was waiting for them with a sign that said Mr and Mrs Casey. "Welcome to our beautiful island. I'll be your driver today." Matt shook his hand while the other was tightly wrapped around Gabby's waist.

"Thank you." Matt replied with a smile. It didn't take a lot of time before they managed to grab they bags of the conveyer belt and then they followed the man towards his car and they enjoyed the view through their windows as they made their way towards their hotel. The car stopped in front of the ocean and the door opened on Gabby's side, facing the water.

"Where are we?" She questioned as Matt stepped out after her.

"Let me show you to your suite." Gabby looked at Matt who simply shrugged and the two of them followed the man who had taken their bags. A crystal blue ocean could be seen for miles and suddenly the man cut on his left and took them through a small forest of palm trees until it opened up into a clearing, revealing a private cottage.

"Oh my god." Gabby whispered.

"Wow." Matt echoed. "This is ours for a whole week?" He finally asked their driver.

"Yes. Your friends wanted to make sure that no one would disturb you during your honeymoon. They also asked me to give you this." The man handed Matt and envelop. He opened it and found some cash with a note.

 _Everything is already paid for but if you need anything, here's a little extra money._

 _Love,_

 _Your family_

"They really thought of everything." Matt took a few bills and handed it to their driver. "Thank you." The man bowed down in thanks.

"If you need anything, the phone inside is connected directly with the main desk. Enjoy your stay."

"Thank you." Gabby could barely contain her excitement. Matt waited for the man to leave before he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her to him.

"Finally alone." He dipped down and captured her lips in his. "What do you want to do first?"

"How about we see what Shay packed for us." Her eyes were filled with lust as she gently pulled on his shirt in the direction of the cottage. With the bags now dropped to the ground, Gabby pulled Matt's shirt over his head and discarded it somewhere on the ground before working on his belt, her one mission was to undress him and make love to him in this beautiful paradise. Their lips pulled apart from each other only when close needed to be removed but once Gabby had fully undressed Matt, Matt firmly pressed his hands on Gabby's waist and pulled her dress up, pulling it over her head and giving it the same treatment as his own clothes.

Underneath, she still wore her wedding lingerie and it took his breath away. "God you're beautiful." He captured her lips in his as he lowered her down on the bed. He kissed his way now her neck and collarbone before he pressed a kiss between her breast and giving her body some attention, Gabby moaning as he kissed his way down. She ran her fingers though his hair and wrapped her fingers around some strands as he sand his teeth gently on her waist, sending shivers through her entire body.

"Matt." She moaned, her body arching to meet his hungry kisses. "I want you, now." Her breathing was heavy as he looped a finger around her panties, pulling them down torturously slow.

His intensions weren't to tease her but he wanted her to enjoy each second of it. "Patience baby." He pushed two fingers through her folds, his name tumbling out of her mouth. He continued his ministrations until he knew she was close to the edge. He positioned himself on top of her before removing his fingers, then slowly entering her and attaching his lips to her neck, Gabby falling over the edge. He didn't wait for her to come back to her senses before he started moving in and out of her, her fingers pressing against his shoulders as she enjoyed the waves of pleasure he was giving her. Their bodies moved as one as they made love, the rest of the world falling away. They made love for hours, exploring each other's body as it was the first time. Gabby flipped them around so she was now on top, giving her the opportunity to give Matt as much attention as he had given her. Matt flipped them around soon after, feeling his own release close and when it came, he buried his face in the crook of Gabby's neck, the two breathless.

"Welcome to paradise." She whispered to his ear before he rolled off of her and pulled her into his side.

"I'd stay in this paradise forever." He whispered back, kissing her temple. Gabby closed her eyed and listened to his heartbeat, lulling her in a peaceful sleep. He watched her sleep for a little bit before he closed his eyes, joining her in the abyss, his arms wrapped tightly around her frame.

When Matt woke up, he blinked a few times. A smile formed on his lips when he remembered where he was but his smile faded when he ran a hand against Gabby's empty side of the bed. He sat up in bed and tried to see if he could catch a glimpse of her but when he didn't, he put his briefs on and went in search for her. He found her in the little kitchen, glancing outside. She had nothing on but Matt's shirt and panties but her frame looked at peace. He padded her way and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"I woke up and you were gone." He whispered to her ear, pressing his lips to her shoulder.

"I didn't have the heart to wake you up." She leaned into him.

"Thanks. What do you have there?"

"I thought you'd be hungry when you woke up so I figured I'd prepare a snack." Matt looked at the ocean as the sun was still gleaming over the shore.

"How about we enjoy that in bed? I don't want to go outside just yet." Gabby simply giggled, putting her knife aside and turning in his arms, wraping hers around his neck.

"I thought you'd never ask." He leaned up on her toes and kissed him. Matt pushed his tongue against Gabby's lips as he lifted her up and set her down on the counter. He ran his hand along her thigh, under his shirt, Gabby's core tightening as shivers moved through her body. "Matt." She moaned as his lips moved down to her neck.

"Forget the food." She giggled, wrapping her legs around his waist and letting him take her back to bed, the fruit left on the counter for later. They made love again, tangled up in the sheets, in total bliss.

"You know, we are going to have to get out of this bed at some point." Gabby was drawing circles on Matt's chest.

"Well unless you found something interesting to wear in what Shay packed, I'm pretty sure that we won't be going anywhere."

"Oh there's definitely something interesting in there." She straddled him with a smirk. "I just might have to put on a little show for you."

"Is that so?"

"Oh yeah but first, we are going to go to the beach and catch some sun before we have to go into the world for dinner."

"Can't we get some more things delivered and eat by the water? I really don't feel like sharing you today."

"I think I can make something with what they already delivered."

"Perfect." He flipped her on her back and kissed her before getting up. "Meet me in the shower?"

"I'll be right there." She smiled at him as he left before she laid back down in bed, the sheets wrapped tightly around her body. She looked outside at the beautiful view they had from their room. "This week is going to be perfect." She said out loud before getting out of bed and joining Matt for a quick shower. They enjoyed the food Gabby had prepared while she started to prepare their dinner, the two side by side in the kitchen.

"Ready to go on the beach?" He pulled her to him.

"Yeah, just let me go change." They quickly changed into their suits and made their way outside, their quiet piece of paradise all to themselves. They spent the afternoon in the water, their bodies wrapped around each other as they swam close to the shore. When the sun started to disappear, they went Inside to change and they shared dinner on their balcony, beautiful palm trees and the crystal clear ocean as their view.

"I can't believe we get to witness a beautiful sunset like this." Gabby was now sitting between Matt's legs as they lounged on a long chair close to the water, their evening coming to an end.

"It is beautiful." He whispered in her ear as the sky basked in soft layers of yellow, orange and reds. "Gabby was playing with his wedding band.

"I can't believe you get to be mine, forever."

"I promise that I'll spend forever making you feel like the luckiest girl in the world."

"I am the luckiest girl in the world." She leaned her body into his. "My sons have the best person to look up to and help them become strong men and my daughter found a prince that will protect her with everything in him, I could never ask for anything more." Matt shifted in his spot and peered into her eyes that were now filled with tears.

"I know how hard this is for you." He crushed a tear that rolled down her cheek with his thumb. "We're building a life together and I couldn't be more proud to call your kids mine too." He took a deep breath to gather his thoughts before he continued. "I've been thinking a lot about this lately and I know this is a huge step for you and all I'm asking is for you to think about it. What I mean is that I want to adopt Filipe, Luis and Valentina, officially." A smile finally formed on Gabby's lips as she chuckled.

"You have no idea how much this means to me but you're not the only one who's had that on their mind. I wanted to wait until we came back from here to ask you the same thing about Emma and Grace."

"I know that we need to talk to them about it too but I want us to be a family, a real one."

"We already are and I feel blessed to have it and I wouldn't change it for the world." Matt cupped her cheeks in his hands, his thumb stroking Gabby's cheek gently before he leaned down and kissed her. "How about we take this back to the cottage?"

"Let's." He helped her to her feet and they walked hand in hand, waves rolling against their ankles. Once Inside, Gabby bouced away from Matt with a smirk. "Where are you going?"

"To try the first piece." She wiggled her eyebrows. Matt chuckled and made his way to the kitchen where a bucket of ice was waiting for him, a bottle of champagne and two glasses tucked into the ice.

"They really thought of everything." He didn't even read the note that was sitting next to the bucket. He simply opened the bottle and poured a glass for the two of them. He walked towards the bedroom but Gabby was waiting for him against the doorframe, clad in nothing but purple lace, Matt's imagination running away with him. "Wow." He couldn't keep his eyes off of her.

"I figured you'd like it."

"Like is such a cheap word." He downed his glass of champagne, swallowing painfully. "You look like a godess." It was the only word he could think of to describe his wife. "Remind me to thank Shay when we get back home." He bridged the gap between the two and he leaned down, capturing her lips tenderly in his. His left hand lingered on her hip as they kissed, his other hand still holding the bottle and Gabby's glass. Their lips parted as they tried catching their breath and Gabby finally took her glass from Matt's hand drank it. Matt settled the bottle and her glass down on the small table that stood before their room and then scooped Gabby up in his arms. She held onto him as he walked them to their bed before laying her down on the sheet that were still unmade from their earlier love making.

"I love you." Those simple words brought a smile to Matt's face.

"I love you too Gabriella Casey." And with those simple words, Matt made love tenderly to his wife, the two spending their first night as husband and wife in paradise.

* * *

 **A/N: I really hope you liked it and please take a few seconds to leave a review before you go, your feedback is always apreciated. - Sarra**


	73. Love in paradise 2

**Disclaimer: I own nothing except my imagination.**

 **A/N: First of all, I want to thank everyone for the continued love for this story. Second, I want to thank you for your immense patience. I know you've all been wanting this next chapter and it's taken forever to write it. I finally managed to cheat, taking an extra shift at my old job where I could quietly write to be able to update this so enjoy it.**

* * *

Gabby woke up to sounds of the ocean crashing against the shore. When she moved, she realized that she was still tangled up in Matt. She smiled at the memory of last night and she wanted more. She lowered her hand into the sheets and took Matt in her hand and pumping him up and down to wake him up, wanting to feel him inside her again. It didn't take long for Matt's body to react to Gabby's touch, a low moan escaping his lips.

"Gabby." His breathing had already quickened.

"Good morning." She grinned, placing her lips to his chest.

"Good morning." He flipped himself around so he would be on top of her. "You are such a tease." He pushed himself in her torturously slow.

"Look who's teasing now." The words came out slightly jumbled as she pushed her head back in ecstasy, Matt pushing deep in her with one swift motion.

"Do you like that?" He moved out of her slowly again, this time pushing all the way in harder.

"Don't stop." She could already feel her body tingling as his lips found her neck, his teeth grazing the skin, sending shivers down her entire body. And continue he did, his hands caressed her body as he moved in and out of her. Slowly at first and then faster and harder as Gabby tightened around him.

"Gabby." He hid in the crook of her neck as he emptied himself into her, Gabby getting her release too. Matt tried not to put all of his weight on her but she pulled her to him, enjoying the extra weight on her body. "You're perfect Mrs Casey." He whispered hoarsly to her ear.

"We're perfect." She breathed heavily. "How about some breakfast?"

"You and me in the shower first." He got up and scooped her up in his arms, taking her into the bathroom, setting her on the counter and turning the shower on.

"So what do you want to do today?" She asked him seductively.

"You drive a hard bargain." He couldn't help but stare at her naked body and want her again. "After we take a very, long, shower." He kissed her. "I was thinking we could do some paddle board and maybe try surfing. What do you think?"

"That sounds amazing." She wrapped her legs around his waist and he easily lifted her and walked them both towards the shower as they kissed and made love in the shower again.

"If you keep walking around naked like that, we'll never get out of this room." He stood behind her, a towel wrapped around his waist and his hands on her hips.

"Isn't it the point of this week?" She turned around in his arms. "Spend some quality time together?" She wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Yes but this is once in a lifetime. I want to explore the island too." He kissed her.

"Ok." She pouted, turning around to leave, Matt emitting a low growl. He ran a hand on his face and turned around, heading towards his suitcase. He found Gabby cooking them a light breakfast and he enjoyed watching her in the kitchen. They enjoyed breakfast on the porch before they went out towards the beach where they rented the paddle boards and headed towards the crystal clear water for the morning.

Matt was surprisingly stable on his legs on the first try while Gabby fell a few times before finding her footing. They paddled farther into the water, quiet between them as Gabby did her best to stay standing on her board. Matt watched in amazement as his wife moved even farther out in the ocean. She looked at ease and happy here and it made him smile.

"Come on babe, what are you gaucking at?" She laughed.

"My beautiful wife." He paddled closer to her. "She gets more beautiful with every minute that passes."

"Liar." She splashed him with her paddle, making him waver slightly on his board before he found his footing again and came closer to her.

"I'd never lie about that." He tried to go on the board with her but the two weights were too much and they fell in the water, Gabby releasing a high pitch scream.

"Matt, you're crazy." She yelled as she surfaced.

"Yeah, crazy for you." He pulled her closer to him.

"In that case." She did her best to kiss him while they were in the deep end.

"What about we go back to shore and go do some exploring?" He kissed her again.

"What about surfing? You were all excited about it."

"We still have lots of time for that still."

"Ok." She smiled lovingly. They got back on their boards and paddled back to shore where they gave their things back at the little cabin and walked back hand in hand to their cottage.

"How about you so start a shower and I'll join you in a second?"

"Don't be too long." She pulled her bikini top off and dropped it on the floor before disappearing inside the bathroom. Once Matt was sure that she was under the water, she called the front desk and gave them a few instructions as well as asking where they could go explore.

"Who are you talking to?" Gabby yelled as she poked her head past the glass shower glass.

"The front desk." He walked into the bathroom. "I asked for places to go see." He stepped inside the steaming shower with her.

"And? What beautiful paradise are they going to show us?"

"They are sending a guide in thirty minutes." He kissed her.

"We better make this quick then." She chuckled, pulling him down for a kiss. They took their time to wash each other before they stepped out, Matt quickly changing in shorts and a white shirt. He had managed to take a bit of colour on their time out on the water so it gave him a soft tan. Gabby was taking more time that he'd thought.

"What is taking you so long?"

"Can't a girl look nice for her husband?" She walked out of their room in a white floral dress, her hair in loose curls on her shoulders.

"Wow." He whispered, a smile on his face. "I take that back, you can take all the time you need." He took a few steps in her direction.

"I thought you'd like it." She slowly turned on herself.

"Everyone will be jealous." He leaned down to kiss her. "But you're all mine." He gently pulled her to him, only to be interrupted by a knock on the door.

"They have the worst timing." She leaned her forehead against his. "Let's go see the Island." She kissed him before she pulled away to go get the door. They followed the guide.

He took them to Halaei Town so they could spend the day there. The town was framed on one side by the north shore mountains and on the other by the shimmering blue water of Hanalei Bay. First, he took them to an art gallery filled with beautiful paintings of the town and its vibrant colours as well as people fishing. Gabby couldn't stop gushing over everything and they ended up buying a painting of the town, looking over the bay. The guide left them so they could enjoy an early lunch, the two going for the town's specialty, fish. Gabby's eyes kept roaming the view outside opf the restaurant, so much that it made Matt laugh out loud.

"You know, we still have time to see so many things before we head back to the cottage. Why don't you enjoy your food?"

"I know but it's beautiful here, I just don't want to miss anything."

"And you won't." He laughed. Once they were done, they met up with their guide again and he took them to see the Mission house that was built in the 1800's as well as the Waioli Hui'ia Church, Matt enjoying the architectures and the stained glass windows. The last stop for the day was the historic pier where boats were accosted and you could see locals fish, the industry no doubt in full swing here. They enjoyed a walk along the pier as music was being played.

When they returned, the sun was starting to set. "Did you have fun?" He kissed her temple as he pulled her close to his side.

"I know we haven't done that much exploring but this island is beautiful. I'm happy our friends sent us here for some alone time."

"We still have four days, plenty to see." He pulled out the key to their cottage out of his Pocket and gave it to her, placing his hands on her hips from behind.

"I know but I like having you all to myself too." She pushed the door open and the room whole place was basking in candle light glow. "Matt." She gasped.

"Surprise baby." They took a few steps into the living room.

"When did you do all of this?" She looked at him, a blush on her cheeks.

"I just made a phone call while you were in the shower."

"It's beautiful." She smiled at him before exploring a bit further, Matt right behind her.

"I just wanted us to spend a real, quiet evening together." He leaned against the patio door, Gabby rooted in her spot unpon seeing the patio set up. The table was filled with island specialties and they had set up some fairy lights above them, their view as breathtaking as the previous evening. "I hope you're hungry."

"Oh yes." All the walking they had done during the day had dug a hole in her stomach. He pulled her chair out and helped her get comfortable before he took his seat and pouring her a glass of wine.

"To forever with my beautiful wife." He raised his glass.

"To forever." She winked at him before the clunked their glasses together and took a sip. Gabby didn't hesitate to try every single dish on the table under Matt's amused gaze and he couldn't stop looking at her with so much love at the woman who would get to share the rest of his life with. Once they had eaten tp their hearts content, they talked about the kids, Gabby not being able to keep them far from her mind. They enjoyed a last glass of wine before they walked to the beach, Matt's arm arund her shoulders.

"Are you happy?" He asked as they sat in the sand, Gabby sitting between his legs.

"The happiest I've been in a very long time." She sighed. He knew something was on her mind so he just let her say her piece. " I found love again when I least expected it, our little family is perfect and I get to spend our honeymoon in the most beautiful place I've seen. What more could a girl ask for?"

"The world." He felt more love for this woman than he ever had in the past and that's what he wanted to give her, the world.

"You already give me that, and more." They spent the rest of the evening sitting in the sand and enjoying some quiet time after a long day of visiting.

The next day, they rented an SUV with specific instructions for their day at the Waimae Canyon, dubbed the Great Canyon on the Pacific. The ten mile long way was filled with beautiful greens and reds, the crisp blue sky towering over them. They found a spot to park and they evjoyed lunch that they had packed before they returned on the road to make it all the way to the top where they took in the gorgeous view and snapped a few pictures to be able to show the kids.

The following two days were spent visiting the Kilohana Plantation where they enjoyed a little bit of history and Rum tastings along with a visit to the tropical gardens and an old plantation village. They also snorkelled in the tunnels of Makura Beach and they were able to try their hand at surfing as well that day. On their final day, they visited the Kilauea Point National Wildlife refuge. They were able to visit the lighthouse that stood right above towering cliffs and another, take your breath away view. They were told this was a haven for endangered mon seals, green sea turtles and humpback whales, Gabby snapping some more pictures there, not getting enough of this beautiful place.

"I can't believe this is our last night here." Matt watched as Gabby moved around the cottage, picking some things and placing them in the suitcase already.

"It doesn't mean that we can't enjoy it." He pulled her to him and pressed his lips to hers.

"I know I just, can't get enough of this place."

"How about one final sunset? You, me, on that patio before we lock ourselves away for the night?"

"What about packing?" She objected.

"It can wait." He raised her and Gabby wrapped her legs around his waist, their tongues now batteling for control. He settled them into a chair as they made out, his fingers laced in her hair, Gabby's hands resting gently on his arms.

"You have the best ideas." She giggled as they parted, Gabby settling herself between his legs.

"I know." He kissed her temple. They watched as the sky turned orange and red, the sun setting in the horizon. Gabby sat contently, her head against Matt's chest. "Tired?" He kissed her neck.

"No but don't stop what you're doing."

"Like this?" His ran his fingers against her left arm, his lips kissing down her shoulder. He felt her skin prickle with goosebumps under his lips. He smirked against her shoulder. Gabby grew impatient and finally straddled him.

"If you think that you can do that and not make love to me." Matt saw the same thing in her eyes that he felt in his groin and he pulled her roughly to him, kissing her as if his life depended on it. He put her words to action and raised from the chair, Gabby's legs around his waist again. They didn't wait any time taking each other's clothes off, the two falling into bed, Matt emprisoning her between his arms.

"One last night in paradise." He whispered against her lips as he entered her, giving them both a night to remember.

Matt woke up the next morning to Gabby's body snuggling closer into him and he smiled. Her hair was slightly tousled from their short night of sleep and he watched her sleep, not having the heart to wake her just yet. Their flight was only in the afternoon and they didn't have that much to pack.

"Is it morning already?" she mumbled into his chest about thirty minutes later.

"Not yet, go back to sleep." He lied, wanting his girl to get a bit more time to rest. He slowly got up not to wake her and he started gathering their things, packing everything away before he padded towards the kitchen to make some breakfast for the two of them. It had been almost two hours since he had gotten up by the time the food was ready so he made his way back with a tray full to find Gabby still asleep. He set it on the desk and slid back Under the covers, running his hand along her arm. "Wake up baby, breakfast is ready." Her eyes fluttered opened and she turned on her back.

"What time is it?" She closed her eyes again, trying to get used to the light.

"Eleven." At that, she woke up with a start.

"Matt, why didn't you wake me up sooner, our flight is only three hours away."

"You looked too peaceful to wake so I did all the packing. All we have left to do it eat, shower and enjoy it until they come get us to head to the airport."

"You packed everything?" She looked around the whole room to find everything gone from sight. "Matt." He never seased to amaze her how good he was to her.

"I figured you could use the sleep after last night." He leaned down to kiss her. "And you do so much for everyone else, it's my turn to take care of you, for every day of the rest of our lives."

"I swear, the women in Chicago have no idea what they missed on." She pulled the covers with her and kissed him. "And you're all mine."

"Forever."

"Forever. So this breakfast?" Matt did the only thing he could do now, laugh.

"Coming right up." They enjoyed the food in bed before they showered together. They placed their bags next to the door and enjoyed the beach a little while longer before their driver came to bring them to the airport.

"I hope you enjoyed your stay."

"Very much. Thank you for everything." Matt shook his hand and gave him an envelop. "This is for you. It was the best seven days."

"Thank you Mr Casey, Mrs Casey. Enjoy your flight home."

"We will, thank you." They took their luggage and they made their way through the terminal hand in hand. Once settled in their seats, Gabby looked out of the window. "I'm going to miss this place."

"Me too." He looked at the island from the small window. "Ready to go home?"

"Yes, let's go home." She kissed him and soon after, the pilot announced their imminent departure.

* * *

 **A/N: So here it is. Seven days in paradise for our favourite couple. They're heading back to Chicago, back to their family, ready for the next chapter. I really hope that you liked it and please take a few seconds to tell me what you guys think, even if it's just to tell me your annoyance at my lack of updating hahaha - Sarra**


End file.
